The Beauty of Grace
by Black Mary Janes
Summary: It's 1962, and the Cullens are calling a town in western Massachusetts home. One human girl proves to have an odd gift that forever intertwines her fate with theirs. The story of the Cullen daughter that got cut out. Canon pairings.
1. Prologue: Things I Knew

**Hello!! So this is my first Twilight fic ever, and it's just an idea I've been kicking around. I have the first five chapters written, and most of the story planned out. This is also my first non-romance story, and is an exercise in character development. As usual,. constructive criticism and general encouragement is a must!! Hope you all enjoy it!! **

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Prologue: Things I Knew

I knew a lot of facts by the age of eighteen. I knew that the square root of pi was 1.775. I knew that the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. I knew that Hamlet was considered the epitome of a tragic hero.

I also knew that my father was going to kill my mother someday.

This wasn't a fact a dwelled on. I don't even think I acknowledged that fact until after it had happened. There were a lot of facts that went unacknowledged like that. That list is perhaps longer than it should be.

I knew my father was a bad man.

I knew my mother was a good woman.

I knew their relationship would eventually destroy us all.

I knew that dancing wasn't going to solve these problems.

I knew I had to dance anyway.

I knew it would hurt me, just as my father did, eventually.

I knew that fate was on my side when I finally was hurt.

I knew the new doctor was much more than he appeared.

I knew his family was as well.

And I knew, in the farthest corner of my mind, that they were my true family.


	2. A Typical Day

**Since I hate it when authors put up a prologue and leave it at that, I'm adding the first full chapter tonight as well. Here you get a better picture of who Adele is. Enjoy!!**

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Chapter One: Typical Day

It was the first cold day of the year. Even though the calendar said September of 1962, the temperature was closer to December. I shivered inside my wool coat, a hand-me-down from my mother. She would still be at work, and would probably arrive home before me. I said two quick prayers for her, one to the Catholic God and one to the gods of my ancestors. My father would not have approved of the second prayer, but those gods tended to protect my mother better than his God did.

I finally reached the stage door to the city auditorium and slipped inside, shrugging out of my coat as the door closed behind me. I followed the long hallway to the dressing rooms, and was lured through another door by the familiar scents and sounds. There was laughter, chatter, and the ever-present smell of stage make-up. There was also the boom of the stage manager, and the smell of the gas stove in the corner running, the boiling of water for tea and cocoa mingling with the smell of fresh cookies. Say what you want about ballerinas, but they sure do know how to eat.

"Adele!" I turned at the sound of my name, sliding my bag under the cleared spot of the long table in the center. A tall blonde girl was running towards me, a mug in one hand and a stack of cookies in the other.

"Hey Cindy." I said as she sat next to me. She popped a cookie in my mouth before I had a chance to finish my greeting.

"You look absolutely frozen!" She exclaimed, shoving my coat to the side and opening my bag for me. She passed me the mug as she began searching for my sweater. "I had to sneak a bunch for you before the guys got to them." She rolled her pretty blue eyes. "You'd think their mothers didn't feed them or something." She handed me my dance clothes and another cookie, pushing me towards the far end of the room. "Now go change!"

I laughed at her maternal instincts, then followed her instructions. I was, as usual, late, and didn't have time to fight with her. She followed, though, and talked the entire time I was behind the pale blue curtain changing.

"So Frannie pulled something during cheer practice last week, and her doctor has ordered her out of the production, which means the Dew Drop is up for grabs."

"What?" I yelled in shock, dropping my school uniform on the floor.

"Yeah." Cindy relished in the gossip. "So Madame is going to have to pull out a replacement. Of course, there is no actual understudy, so who knows what is going to happen." She paused for a moment, then continued in a low whisper. "Five dollars says she picks you."

As soon as she said it, I saw myself up there, the blue costume fitting me perfectly, the sparkling tiara bringing all the attention to me as I performed the dance perfectly. I shook my head against the fantasy. "I'm not old enough." I argued, though the music for the Waltz of the Flowers was still in my mind. "I'm not even part of the company. I'm just a kid."

"You're the best dancer here, Adele." Cindy hissed. "And you already know the choreography because you know this whole show. Not to mention, everyone loves you."

"For completely unfound reasons." I reminded her. Our entire sleepy little town did have some sort of affinity for me, but mostly because of what they thought I was. They thought I was the broken little girl that didn't want to go home because of what was waiting for her. They didn't see the cause for the worry, though. They believed my father's lies, and I didn't really care. Let them believe what they wanted. I could figure my own way out of this mess.

"Come on Adele, just admit it." She sighed. "You would love that part."

She had me, and she knew it. "I do love the spotlight." I admitted, sliding open the curtain. She handed me my shoes, giving me her usual frank expression. "Let's just wait and see what her decision is." I said reasonably. Cindy nodded, though I knew she was just humoring me at the moment.

Tony, the stage manager, made the final call announcement, and we joined the rush of dancers heading towards the stage. We sat as we had been assigned our very first day, Cindy a few steps behind me with the rest of the Chinese dancers. Jamie and I were the soloists, and we were just in front a bit. He smiled at me quickly before Madame called us to order.

She quickly moved past roll and the daily business, as she sensed the tension in the room. She sighed, then continued. "So, you all know by now that Frannie has left our show on doctor's orders." When there was no reaction, she continued. "I will have to replace the Dew Drop, and though you all have your own picks, it is mine that matters most. To be frank, I have picked the best dancer possible. She is our most versatile dancer, and is more than ready for the challenge of two very different dances. I am speaking of Miss Adele Foster." There was clapping, and I felt myself blush. Jamie gave me a quick hug, and then Madame captured our attention again.

"She will need all of our help for her quick costume change, so I expect you all to act like a true company and help your dancer in need. I will be pulling Miss Cindy Nolan in to fill Frannie's spot in the party scene." There was another smattering of applause, and Cindy waved cheerfully. Madame waited for us to settle, then continued. "We have a lot of work to do to work around Frannie's absence. I expect everyone to give me 100% tonight as we go. Now, from the top of the party!" We scrambled either into formation or off stage, all buzzing about the news.

I fielded several hugs, congratulations, and pats on the back from the rest of the dancers backstage. I felt happy for the moment, but it would be nothing compared to when I told my mother.

--- --- ---

I ran home after rehearsal, too excited to notice the cold hair whipping at my dark hair. I flew through the door, running upstairs to drop off my school bag, then running back down to see my mother.

She was at the stove, cooking dinner. She was so beautiful, even in her apron, her dark hair pulled up messily. She looked over at me as I entered, and her ever-present smile grew.

"You look fit to burst, hon." She said, pulling a chair out from the kitchen table. "What happened today?"

"Frannie dropped out of the show." I told her, trying to conceal my smile. "She'll be fine in a few weeks, but the doctor doesn't want her dancing. But guess what! I get to be Dew Drop!!" I was practically hopping up and down, and she came over and gave me a quick hug.

"That's wonderful." She smiled, kissing me lightly on the cheek. "I can't wait to see it."

"It's going to be so great!" I exclaimed, jumping up to help her. "I get to wear the blue costume and everything."

"That always was your favorite." She said. We continued chattering until the front door opened. We fell silent as it closed, and I quickly finished setting the table for three. My father entered the room just a few moments later.

He didn't appear to be rough kind of man. He was cleanly shaven (though now, well past six at night, there was a bit of shadow), dressed nicely, and very articulate. His light gray eyes were sharp and intelligent, his light brown hair slicked back in the current fashion. He wasn't anything to be afraid of. Not yet at least.

"How are my two favorite girls?" He asked brightly. He didn't seem to remember the horrible things he had said last night, and we let him forget them.

"Fine, Daddy." I said cheerfully, flashing a bright smile as I ran up to hug him. He squeezed me gently, releasing me to hug my mother as well. She and I exchanged a quick glance, and agreed to play along with his current mood.

"Dinner should be ready in a few minutes, dear." She delicately. "Adele, go upstairs and wash up."

"Yes Mama." I answered, though I was anxious leaving her alone. I moved as quietly as I could upstairs, waiting for the slightest sign that all was not well downstairs. It didn't come, so I went back down, a new dress on and my hands clean. They were already seated around the small table, and I took my seat on my father's left. We linked hands, said a quick grace, which I repeated twice, and began eating.

"How was rehearsal today, Adele?" He asked, glancing over at me.

"It was good." I said. "Frannie can't dance, though, so Madame gave me the part of Dew Drop."

"That's excellent!" He boomed in his loud voice. "I'm proud of you, sugar."

"Thanks, Daddy." I mumbled, embarrassed suddenly. We continued talking, Mama about her day, Daddy about his, and me about mine. It seemed so light and easy on the surface, but we didn't know how long that would last.

I was clearing the dessert dishes, nearly two hours later, when I first heard the grisly tone in his voice. I quickly poured him a glass of milk and took it out to his spot in the chair with the newspaper. He grunted a thanks, and I silently left the room. Mama came out a moment later, and I knew she heard it too. We were silent and tense as we cleared the dried the dishes, and I glanced at the clock. We were so close to breaking his record tonight, and I was hoping we could make it.

"ADELE!!" He yelled my name suddenly, making me jump. I dropped the plate I was holding, and to my horror it shattered. Ignoring my mother's silent pleas, I headed into the living room, hoping that I got the worst of it tonight.

"What is this?" He asked, pointing to the pile of dirty laundry tucked into the corner. I knew exactly what it was, but said nothing. "What is this?" He repeated, lower and more threatening now.

"It's dirty laundry." I replied.

"Why is it in m clean living room?" He asked in the same tone. Again, I didn't answer. "Adele." My own name sounded like a threat.

"You left it there." I answered softly. I heard the sound of flesh against flesh before I felt the stinging in my cheek.

"I did not!" He yelled, sounding like an overgrown toddler. Suddenly her had both my arms in one hand, and was twisting back, the wrong way. All the flexibility I had from ballet was nothing compared to his sudden strength.

"You pick it up now, before I really hurt you." He said, throwing me to the ground. Even though my body was screaming, I hurried up and did as I was told. His hand was suddenly in my hair, and pulling hard. "Take it downstairs and wash it. Now." As soon as he let go, I ran to the basement, leaning against the washing machine for support. I took a few deep breaths, listening upstairs. I didn't hear my mother's voice at all, which was comfort. I felt something warm and sticky in my hair, though. Sighing, I became searching for the cut. I found, just side my hairline by my right eye. I must have hit the corner when I fell. I took a moment to decide if I should risk the hospital tonight. Eventually, I decided against it. The cut didn't seem that deep, and I had certainly taken care of worse on my own. I made quick work of the laundry, moving as quietly as I could. Still, I caught no sound from upstairs. I didn't get my hope up, though. They could have just moved upstairs.

I crept up the stairs, the house silent. I found my mother in her room, crying into a Jane Austin novel. I quickly assure her I was fine, but the tears continued to fall. My father was downstairs, grumbling to his paper. As quickly as his bad mood came, it crept away. I made my way to the bathroom, ready to inspect the damage.

My dark hair was stick with blood on the right side. I found the gash in the mirror, and just as I had hoped, it wasn't deep enough to need stitches. I washed the blood out of my hair, gently moving around the gash. I flushed that out as well, wincing at the sting. I then pulled a headband on, adjusting it gently. It covered the worst of the cut, and arranged my hair so that no one would notice. Satisfied, I pulled it out, and changed for bed.

--- --- ---

After a few hours of restless sleep, I awoke to a muffled scream. Creeping to my door, I saw the light on in my mother's bathroom, heard the running water, and knew that I had not gotten the worst of it. I slunk over to the lit door frame, leaning against it gently. She had a similar cut on her head, though hers extended down across her forehead. I picked up her brush, and together we figured out her hairstyle for tomorrow, our voices no more than murmurs. A short while later, she kissed me goodnight, and I headed back to bed, oddly relieved. We were done for the night.


	3. Dr Cullen

Chapter Two: Dr. Cullen

My steady routine continued. The only change I found was that I was more exhausted after rehearsal. Dancing two dances was clearly taking its toll, though I enjoyed every moment. I never experienced freedom like I did when I was dancing. I felt beautiful with every move I made. When I was dancing, all eyes were on me, but not in the way I was used to. They didn't pity me, they admired me. More than anything, they loved to watch me. Even during rehearsals, when it was just a few janitors and maybe some parents, I performed as though it were a room full of dignitaries. When the real show rolled around, I would perform ten times better. While some dancers feared the audience, I embraced them. I fed off the energy. I detected energy in the sea of people, much like a shark detecting blood in the water. I let the audience's energy fill me, making me more than I really was.

My collection of cuts and bruises stayed in equilibrium. I spread the stories around, and though everyone commented that it was odd that such a graceful dancer was so clumsy, they didn't delve any further. I really was quite clumsy, though. That made it a bit easier.

Naturally, in a small town, I first heard buzz about the new family through the old family. The Masterson's were moving to Florida for a permanent vacation, leaving the frigid temperatures of a typical Massachusetts winter now that their youngest child had married. Their house, an old Victorian in perfect condition, had been bought by Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Since the city auditorium was connected to City Hall, we were the first alerted to this new news.

"Yes." The mayor was talking to Madame, not bothering to keep his voice down. "He seems to be a very prominent doctor in Boston at the moment. Apparently he's bored with city life, and his young wife wants more of a home." I tried my best to ignore him, following Jamie as he explained a new bit of choreography.

"Do they have any children?" Madame asked, and I knew she was only thinking of her enrollment numbers.

"Well, sort of." I perked to attention at that. "He seems to be the guardian of a large group of nieces and nephews. All in high school now, apparently." He said. "Although the oldest is apparently attending Columbia right now."

I tuned out again as the conversation drifted to the wife. Jamie and I ran through our number four times before Madame returned her attention to us, shooing us off stage finally.

--- --- ---

The new Cullen family was the topic Daddy brought up at dinner that night. Apparently Dr. Cullen had already registered a few cars at the town office Daddy worked at.

"He seems very nice." Daddy said. "I spoke to him over the phone, and he was very kind. Sounds young, though."

"Did he say anything about his children?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I didn't know he had any children."

I nodded. "He's the guardian over some of his nieces and nephews." I repeated.

"Maybe they will go to school with you, Adele." Mama piped up.

"How many other options do they have?" Dad asked jokingly. The Catholic school I went to was the only high school in town. They didn't even charge tuition to high school kids.

That night, after I inspected a new bruise on my hip (attained as I hit the steps on the way down) I crawled into bed, and my thoughts returned to the Cullens. It was an odd name, but they seemed to be a rather old-fashioned family. I shook my head, allowing my thoughts to wander, as they did every night, to my original vision of me in the blue costume of the Dew Drop, dancing for world leaders.

--- --- ---

School was wildly uneventful. It wasn't until I left the campus and started heading in town for rehearsal that I noticed the buzz of voices that seemed to be constant. It grew as I reached City Hall, and I glanced around, looking for someone familiar. I spotted Cindy, and ran to her.

"Adele, the new doctor is here." She hissed.

I rolled my eyes. "That's what everyone is excited about?" I muttered.

"Apparently he's gorgeous." Cindy said, a hint of scandal in her tone.

"He's also married, Cindy." I reminded her. "Come on, let's get inside before my nose falls off."

We changed quickly, and the buzz continued as the dancers began moving inside. The girls were squealing over the new doctor, and I ignored them. Finally, we were called to the stage, and Madame called us to quick order. We were running the show, no stops, to see what needed work. She gave a few quick instructions, and then sent us all backstage.

There were few glitches in the first act. I popped out to do the mouse scene, trying my best to be scary without a costume. I heard some laughter from our usual onlookers, and cracked the slightest of smiles.

I stayed backstage, chatting quietly with Cindy until our cue. She ran out first, in silence, with the four other dancers. Jamie and I stood side by side. As our cue came, we both leaped across the stage together. The delicate music matched our motions, and my skirt seemed to flutter at just the perfect times. After our minute was up, we fell into perfect position. At least, Jamie did. It was practically in slow motion, the way my foot twisted the wrong way, my right ankle making a low cracking sound. I instantly lifted my weight off it, but held position, hoping no one noticed.

People noticed. Jamie glanced down at me, his eyes wide with horror. I heard a whisper out in the seats, and a deep voice answer. Madame watched me with critical eyes as Jamie supported my weight, pulling me offstage.

"Adele, what happened?" He muttered, sitting me down as we reached the wings.

"I think I just rolled it." I muttered. He lifted up the ankle in question, quickly untying my pointe shoe.

"Adele, someone is getting the doctor." Cindy whispered, appearing from on stage, where she shouldn't have been.

"What doctor?" I asked stupidly.

"Dr. Cullen." She rolled her eyes at me. "He was watching. He stopped by to get the deeds to the house and the registration for the car, and the mayor wanted to show off a bit."

No sooner had she finished her sentence than a man appeared around the red velvet stage curtains. My eyes hardly had time to look at him before my attention was brought to my ankle.

"Ow." I murmured against the pain as Jamie dropped my ankle to better see the new arrival. Then, very suddenly he was in my line of vision, crossing the space between the stage and me quickly, kneeling down to place his hands where Jamie's had been.

"Hello." He said quietly. "I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen. It seems you were that wonderful cracking noise I heard."

"That would be me." I grimaced, trying not to stare. He was beautiful, clearly more godlike than man. His golden hair caught the light from the stage, sparkling gently as he moved his head to further examine my ankle. His hands, pale as my white dance tights, were cold as he gently turned my ankle this way and that, examining the ankle. "Adele Foster, the world's clumsiest ballerina."

He looked up at me briefly, his golden eyes holding a hint of amusement. "Surely not." He contradicted gently. "You dance so beautifully, I can't imagine you tripping."

"Oh, it happens quite a bit." I argued, my voice a little harsher than it had to be. I certainly didn't need a doctor of all people getting the wrong idea. And yet, oddly enough, I found myself at ease talking to him. Despite the fact that this was our first meeting, he seemed very familiar to me. I listened to the music floating in from offstage, and sighed. "Is there anything you can do in the next five minutes so I can be out there to dance for Waltz?"

"I might." He frowned slightly, reaching for his black bag. He pulled out an ace bandage, and began wrapping it tight. "It's just a minor sprain. I wouldn't recommend you dancing for a week, but as you seem so keen to get out there, I will do what I can now. But you need to take at least the rest of the week off."

I sighed. It was only Tuesday. "But Dr. Cullen, the show opens in little more than a month."

"And they will not have their star if you keep this up, Miss. Foster." He argued.

"I'm hardly the star." I argued. "And please, just Adele."

"Well, Adele." He shook his head slightly as he finished wrapping. "I must insist. Please, just take the rest of the week off. You can return to the stage on Monday."

"Certainly Dr. Cullen." Cindy jumped in before I could argue. "Right, Adele." She hissed through her teeth.

"Sure." I muttered. And suddenly, I heard the end of Mother Ginger. "Shoot, I'm almost on!" I laced up my pointe shoe as quickly as possible. "Thank you so much Dr. Cullen!" I stage whispered, rushing into position behind the other flowers. They entered, and I waited. My entrance was grand. I heard my cue, and rushed out, suddenly leading the dance. My ankle screamed in protest a couple of time, but my face never showed it. I didn't falter, I pushed through it. During my solos, I tried to fill the stage as much as possible. As the dance ended, I heard cheers coming from both sides of the stage and the seats. I followed the rest of the flowers off, hopping slightly as the pain ran up my leg. I tripped as I reached the curtains, and prepared myself for the impact. It never happened. In one swift move I was set upright by Dr. Cullen, his arm around my waist as a support.

"One injury is enough for today." He joked, moving me towards a chair again. "But I understand what you said before about being clumsy."

"I told you." I muttered, but he didn't respond. He gaze was not at my ankle, which I would have expected, but instead at my neck. I raised any eyebrow, reminded myself that he was married, and then said "What's wrong?"

"I was about to ask you that." He admitted, his eyebrows knitting together in an expression that made him look years older. "Where did you get this mark?" He asked, running his cold finger along a bruise at the base of my neck. I shivered, not only from his cold touch, but at his discovered. There was enough makeup covering that bruise to deceive even the man who gave it to me. And yet this doctor picks up on it like the make-up was only highlighting it.

"I tripped." I said, in a knee jerk reaction. His expression changed from concerned to dubious. I tried again. "I tripped, and one of the kids at school tried to catch me before I fell. He's stronger than he thinks, obviously."

"And why did you go to such lengths to cover it up?" He asked.

"Because I'm a ballerina." I said, the bite returning to my voice. "I'm supposed to be perfect." I felt his eyes inspect me closer as I talked. I could feel him discover more bruises, a few cuts. He was already suspicious.

"Well, thank you very much, Dr. Cullen." I said, jumping to my feet. "The finale is coming up, and I must dance for that, but I promise I will stay off my feet as much as possible until Monday."

"Thank you, Miss. Foster." He said, also standing. His gaze never left mine. "I hope you do get well."

"I-I-I'm sure I will." I stuttered, staring into those eyes. There was a double meaning to his words, and he knew that I was only answering one. He left without another word. I was frozen in place, until I was suddenly being pulled out with Jamie for our part in the finale. We had to change the choreography, putting the Chinese dance in front of the Flowers so I could be recognized for both. I took my bows, performed the final dance, but the freedom was gone. In its place was a single thought.

_How did he know?_


	4. Confrontations

**Thank you to my reviewer, **Monkey-luver14**, for being incredible and actually reviewing!! Come on, I know you are all out there...it's really quick, and it makes the chapters go up faster! Which, I guarantee, you will want after this awesome cliff-hanger. Enjoy!  
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Chapter Three: Confrontations

The next day at school, buzz about the Cullens was stronger than ever. Apparently the younger children were starting school today, and they were indeed attending the only school in our town.

I ignored most of the chatter, determined to stay away from the Cullen children. Their father was already suspicious, and I couldn't afford for any of them to be sending him daily reports. So I sat with my usual friends at lunch, laughing as we joked about the Spanish substitute. Suddenly, I saw four unfamiliar faces in my vision, and quickly diverted my eyes to my lunch tray.

"Adele, look, they're here." Rachel whispered.

"I saw." I muttered, clearly not interested. She ignored me, and watched them instead.

"That one's pretty cute." She whispered. "Big, though. Really big. He can't be a sophomore."

I snuck a quick peak, searching out the big one. "He's about the same size Jack is." I argued.

"Jack is a senior." She reminded me. "Oh, and look at the other one!! He's a babe."

My eyes fell on the bronze-haired boy standing slightly behind his big brother. "Eh, he's okay." I shrugged, trying to seem as disinterested as possible. "Look at the blonde." I muttered, against my will. "She could be on the cover of a magazine." She could, too. She made our uniform (navy blue jumper, white collared shirt, black mary-janes, white socks, and a blue cardigan) look like it had been designed with her in mind.

"She makes me feel bad just looking at her." Marta agreed from across the table.

"The little one is kind of pretty." Rachel added. She inspected the last girl critically. "Why is her hair so short?"

"Maybe she cut it herself." Marta cracked up.

"Be nice." I reprimanded, though I had to admit, it was a bit spiky for my taste. I played with my hair nervously, hoping they wouldn't come near us. They didn't. They stayed pretty far away from everyone. They sat down, and all stared off in different directions. The big one seemed mildly uncomfortable in the starched uniform.

I ignored them for the rest of the period, though they seemed to be all my friends could talk about. I ignored them too, tapping my lame foot against the tiled floor to my own little beat. It was still wrapped in the ace bandage Dr. Cullen gave me, and even now it felt like it was healing. I always was a fast healer.

I managed to ignore the Cullens until my last period. I had religion last, and our religion classes were arranged by last name. Grade level didn't matter, as we were all taught the same thing, basically. It just mattered what period you had free. I walked in, instinctively heading for my usual seat. When I found it, it was already occupied.

"Jimmy, get out of my seat." I rolled my eyes at the tall, skinny boy in my seat. We were a small town, and I was the first F in our school. Ahead of me were Jimmy Duran, Rebecca Damon, Ethel Elton, and then Jack Eaton.

"I can't." He rolled his eyes, pointing ahead of him. "We have new students."

Of course. The Cullens. All four of them walked through the door at that moment, and I rolled my eyes. They were like some thing from a movie, they way they seemed to move in synch. Sighing, I took my new seat, next to the smaller boy. He was supposed to be freshmen, but I doubted it.

He laughed suddenly, softly. I heard him, though. I sent him a quizzical look, and he just stared at me. I rolled my eyes, turning away. He coughed, and I turned back around.

"Hi." He said. His voice was just as musical as his father's. As he spoke, I also noticed that their eyes were the same color. "I'm Edward Cullen."

"Hey Edward." I said, extending my hand. "I'm Adele Foster." He took my hand, and out of the corner of my eye I saw his siblings move slightly. His hands were also cold, like Dr. Cullen's.

"So you were Carlisle's first friend here." He seemed to be joking, but it was hard to tell.

"I guess you could say that." I shrugged. "He did help me when I was in a tight spot."

"I can see that." He said, his eyes lingering, not on my ankle, but on the mark at my neck. Again, I wondered if the make-up was hiding anything, or just highlighting.

The teacher came in at that moment, so I didn't get a chance to ask him. After an hour of droning, we were released. As I had promised, I went home, not to rehearsal. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the Cullens were more than they were letting on.

--- --- ---

That night, when Mama and I were making dinner, I brought up her least favorite subject again.

"Have you thought anymore about a divorce?" I asked quietly.

"No." She said sharply, stirring the gravy much more forcefully.

"We could leave." I reminded her. "We don't have to stay and deal with him." She ignored me. "We could call the police." I suggested. "They would believe us. Our bodies are proof enough."

"Stop it, Adele." She said, hitting the tabletop with the spoon. I jumped back, but only a step. "I will not have you talk about your father like he is some common criminal."

"He is a criminal!" I yelled. I undid the top two buttons of my blouse, exposing a fresh, dark purple bruise on my shoulder. "This is illegal." I pointed out.

This time, she hit me with the spoon. "No, Adele!" He voice broke on the last syllable of my name, and suddenly she was crying. "I love him, hon. I love him when he is sane, when he isn't hurting us. I love him when he's the man I married."

"That's only half the time, Mama." I said quietly.

"Then I'll love him half the time." She said. "But I can't leave him. I just can't."

I sighed. I knew it was hopeless. It always was with her.

--- --- ---

The next morning was brutal. I had fought twice, once with my mother and once with my father. My bones creaked against the movement of my usual routine. As I got dressed, I found I had twin scrapes on my knees, and gash in my hand. I thought of a story as I ate breakfast, and practiced saying it as nonchalantly as possible while I walked to school.

The first person I saw was Edward Cullen. He seemed inquisitive as I breezed past him without a word.

Rachel found me next. "What happened?" She asked, looking at the gauze I had wrapped around my hand.

"I was running with scissors." I shrugged, acting natural. She just shook her head and laughed at my clumsy behavior.

Our schedule was reversed today, meaning I had religion in the morning now. As I sat down, I heard a familiar voice address me.

"What really happened, Miss Foster?"

"Just what I said happened, Mr. Cullen." I said, staring at the board.

"Are you sure?" He asked. I made the mistake of looking at his eyes. They held the same accusing stare the doctor's had.

"Y-yes." I stuttered again. Why was it so hard to lie to these Cullens?

"Shake on it." He said, holding out his hand. I took it without thinking, ignoring the cold. His eyes seemed to grow brighter as I shook, and as he let go I felt something change. I suddenly had a blinding headache, concentrating behind my right eye.

"Mr. Keller, may I go to the bathroom?" I asked, standing up.

"Yes, Miss Foster." He said without looking up.

I bolted to the door, down the hall and to the water fountain. After splashing the cool water on my forehead, I noticed the headache ebb away. But as it receded, something else filled its place. It was like there were two hundred people in the hallway, all talking at once. I screwed up my eyes, trying to make sense of the voices. I heard one, calling my name. My focus immediately turned to that voice, and I was surprised to recognize it as Edward's.

_Adele knows too much already. I saw her piecing it together._

Another voice said my name, and though I wanted to stay with Edward, my focus was instead turned to this unfamiliar voice.

_Edward, does the Foster girl know? Is she running to tell everyone now?_

_No. She's standing in the hallway. She has a headache._

_Ew. That can't be fun. _

_No, it's not Rosalie. Her mind is blank right now._

My mind wasn't blank. I was thinking about their conversation. I bristled at the idea that my mind would be blank.

_What was that? Adele?_

I froze. Edward Cullen was calling my name. No, not calling. I had figured this out by now. The voices were not outside my head, but inside. Only I could hear them. Otherwise, the entire staff would be out, trying to control the uproar.

_Adele Foster? You can…you can hear me?_

_Yes._ I felt myself answer him, almost involuntarily. Then I ran.


	5. Stealing Gifts

**Okay, so I'm here with chapter four!! This may help answer some questions, but it won't answer all of them. Naturally. What writer would do that, answer all the questions at once? **

**Anyhoo, I need a little help for a future chapter. Thanksgiving is coming up (in the story, at least), and I really want to put a scene in with how the Cullens would celebrate Thanksgiving with a human. So...I need some ideas. I can't think of a good one, and I really want it to be something special. So what are your suggestions?? Just leave them with your review, and some (or all!!) will get owrked into my awesome grand scheme!!  
**

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Chapter Four: Stealing Gifts

I realized after I hit the front doors that it probably wasn't a bright idea. My right foot wasn't cooperative, I had only my school sweater for protection against the cold, and I didn't have anywhere to go. Realizing my mistake, I slowed to a walk. For some reason, I didn't turn around. Instead, I kept walking, until I found myself a few blocks away from school, and right in front of the city auditorium.

Sighing, I slumped onto the steps, ignoring the cold stone as effectively as I had Edward's hand. I had to think, and yet I found there wasn't enough room in my head for extra thoughts. I could hear the secretary just inside the door wondering when her lunch break was, and the mayor upstairs wondering when his coffee break was. I heard the homeless guy across the street wonder if I had any change, and Ipulled out my entire change purse and threw it across to him. He smiled at me and gave me a flower that he probably stole from someone's yard. I thanked him, and watched him run off.

Suddenly, with no explanation, I understood that I wasn't going to find answers with anyone except Edward Cullen. Sighing, and pretty mad at myself for running this far in the first place, I trudged back to school, trying to think of a story for my unexplained absence.

I was just adding the finishing touches to a lost puppy story when a new voice entered the babble and addressed me.

_That's not going to work, Adele. _

_Edward Cullen. Just the man I wanted. _ I bristled at his jab at my puppy story, and saw his amusement as clear as any thought of my own. _ We need to talk about this._

_Yes, we do._ He agreed. _Can you meet me by the swings on the playground? The smaller kids don't get recess until after lunch, correct?_

_Yes. _I said. _But don't you think we'll get caught. _

_With us on the lookout?_ His amusement colored my thoughts.

_On the lookout?! _I repeated, amazed._ I can't even think my own thoughts, this din is so loud!_

_Oh, right. I forgot. _ As I rounded the corner, I saw him leaning against the swing set, looking like a model in his uniform. _I'll take lookout duty then._

_Damn straight you will. _ I muttered, remembering my thoughts were no longer private. _ You know, I don't like it that you can hear me._

_I don't like that__** you**__ can hear __**me**__. How did this happen?_ He ran his hand through his messy hair, looking as uncomfortable as his thoughts sounded.

_I think I know. _I replayed the scene I had been mulling over with the homeless person. Edward and I shaking hands, then as soon as he let go, a weird sensation. He contemplated the scene, sitting down on one of the swings. I follow suit, kicking at the sand underfoot.

_Have you been able to do this before? _He asked.

_Read minds?_

_No. Steal gifts._

_Steal gifts?_ I blinked a few times, confused. _No, I guess. _

_You've never gotten weird talents all of a sudden, not of your own accord?_

_Well, once my mother was trying to teach me to cook, and I wasn't getting it. She took my hand to teach me how to stir the batter correctly, and when she let go, it's like I just got it. _

_So you do have a habit. _He seemed smug for a moment, then returned to thoughtful. _So apparently we just did a similar thing. I had a talent, and without knowing it, you stole some of it from me. Curiouser and curiouser. _

_Okay, Lewis Carroll, you're telling me that you could read minds the whole time, and then just decided to let me in on the joke? Do I look stupid?_

_No, but we are all mad here. _ He was chuckling out loud. I scowled. _I don't think I let you do anything. I think you just did it without realizing. And yes. I have been able to read minds for forty five years. _

_Hold it. You're supposed to be a freshman. _

_Damn it. You weren't supposed to hear that._

_There are a lot of things I'm not supposed to hear. _

_Good point. _He sighed. _I think I should bring you to Carlisle. I have no idea what to do with you. _

_I didn't realize I was a problem._

_I didn't either, until I slipped up. For now, we should go back to class. Try to act normal. If you get confused, or need help or anything, I will know. I'll try to talk you through it. Do you think you can handle it?_

His thoughts were concerned and sincere. I nodded. _I got this._

_Good._ He smiled. _Now, back to class._

--- --- ---

I didn't pay attention to a single thing my teachers said the rest of the day. Instead, I was listening to their thoughts. Everyone's thoughts. I didn't really want to, but some voices were harder to block out that others. Edward would try to help me, showing me how he turned most voices into just a buzzing, until he heard his name. It was knee-jerk reaction. My name seemed to be on his sibling's minds an awful lot. He told them that he was going to see Carlisle after school, and not to worry if they got home late. They seemed to accept his excuse, but only half-heartedly. The smaller girl, who was called Alice, I had learned, was watching me like a hawk for the rest of the day.

The final bell rang, and I ran to my locker as fast as my lame foot would let me. Edward had beaten me there, his books in one hand, mine in the other.

_I figured I'd speed up the process as much as possible. _ He shrugged. _Are you ready?_

I nodded. _ Let's go._

We walked the short way to the hospital. Every walk was short in our sleepy town. We didn't say a word out loud, but I learned that his brother's name was Emmett, and the blonde girl was Rosalie. They were dating, apparently, and only related through the marriage of Carlisle and Esme, the young wife.

_So that means its legal, right?_ I asked._ They're not going to get busted for incest?_

_Exactly. _Edward laughed. He opened the door to our small hospital. _Right this way. _

We walked through the bright white hallways, pass waiting rooms and desks, patient rooms and the large OR doors. At the end of the hallway, Edward turned, his arm looped through mine the only thing keeping me on course. He stopped in front of plain white door, the sign next to declaring it Dr. Cullen's office. I could suddenly hear his thoughts, as clear as though he had yelled them to us.

_Edward's here with…a human?_ Edward knocked.

_What does he mean, human?_ I asked. Edward answered me by singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic in his head. I had learned from Alice today that this was a method of keeping minds like ours out. I pouted gently.

"Edward!" There was a note of happiness in Dr. Cullen's thoughts as he opened the door. "And…Miss Foster." The shock was evident from his thoughts.

"I told you, Dr. Cullen. Adele will do." I smiled brightly, hoping it wasn't too fake. Edward snorted with laughter. I glared at him. The whole exchange was only a second long, and yet Dr. Cullen noticed.

"Adele, Edward, why don't you come in." He was wary now. _Edward, what's going on?_

"We needed to see you, Carlisle." Edward closed the door behind him. "Adele is…well, she…" Even Edward's thoughts were stuttering. He couldn't grasp what he wanted to say, and yet, he was trying to push its importance. "Adele stole my gift." He finally said, looking slightly pathetic as he did.

Dr. Cullen simply stared for a moment. His thoughts were as blank as his face. "She stole it." He stated.

"Think of something." I asked. "Something I wouldn't know about."

He did. My mind was suddenly flooded with the picture of a beautiful blonde boy, his long, lean frame leaning against a bookshelf packed with books, his golden eyes bright with happiness.

"You're thinking of a boy. Probably my age, maybe a little older. Blonde hair, the same eyes as the rest of the family, dressed in khakis and a black shirt." His name suddenly came at me in both Edward's and Dr. Cullen's voice. "Jasper. He's the one at Columbia, isn't he?"

_What are you talking about? _Edward asked.

_That's the story. _Dr. Cullen said.

"Story?" I spoke out loud. "So he's not actually there? Where is he?" I felt a sudden pang of fear. "He's okay, right?"

Edward and Dr. Cullen both laughed. "He's fine." Dr. Cullen said, recovering first.

_I fail to see what's so funny. _I pouted.

_Of course you do._ Edward said, even his thoughts amused. _That's why I've been singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic all day. _

"That's not fair." I said.

"How much does she know?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"Just about my gift." Edward replied. "I've been singing the Battle Hymn all day to keep her from discovering things too soon."

"It's annoying." I grumbled. Again, they shared a laugh at my expense.

"How did this happen?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"I think it's a gift of her own." Edward quickly related the scene from this morning to him. "We haven't had contact since." He concluded. "I wanted to talk to you first."

"This is curious." He sat down at his desk, his eyes never leaving my face. "Would it work only with a strong gift like yours?" He wondered out loud. I stood up, reading his thoughts.

"Let's try it." I suggested. He looked at me for just a minute longer, then held his hand up, palm facing me. Softly, almost afraid, I touched my palm to his.

This time I felt the gift flow through me. It was warm, and comforting. Instantly knew that Dr. Cullen was just as compassionate as I had imagined him, and I had stolen some of that compassion. I also felt a strange resistance to blood that I couldn't explain. I had never been particularly queasy, but now I felt performing a surgery was not out of the question.

Two sets of golden eyes were watching me. I looked up to them both. "You're compassionate, Dr. Cullen. That's your super power. That and this blood resistance thing. I don't get that, but I guess it's a good thing if you are a doctor."

"So we have super powers now?" Edward laughed to himself.

"What do you want me to call it? Your mutant power?" I asked him, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Call it what you want." Dr. Cullen interrupted. He was still watching me. "I wonder, Adele…" I held up my hand, ready. He touched his palm to mine, and I felt the power return to its owner, felt it leave my body and return to his. Edward watched the transaction take place from inside my head.

"Fascinating." He murmured. "I've never heard of this gift before. And it's so strong already!"

"It is." Carlisle murmured. _Should we tell her?_

_Tell me what?_

"I don't know Carlisle." Edward was hesitant.

_She won't tell anyone. She's too curious. She thinks she's one of us._

I heard the blame in his voice. Edward flinched slightly. "She is, in a way."

_I'm not going to end her life, Edward. _There was steely tone in the doctor's voice then, and I suddenly saw him as the father figure he was. _Can we keep her safe if she knows what we are? _

"I think we can." Edward was confident. "She doesn't want trouble. Her mind has been damaged, but it is no less pure because of that. She knows how to keep a secret. Don't you, Adele?" His voice softened as he said that, and I knew he had found my secret. Iburst into tears at the thought.

"Don't tell anyone, Edward." I begged. "Please don't. My mom still loves him. She'll do anything to protect him. He's going to kill her, I know it, but please, don't say anything. She won't leave him."

"Adele, calm down." Dr. Cullen, once again, caught me before I could fall. This time I was fainting, though.


	6. Meeting the Cullens

**So I must admit, I am a little disappointed. I didn't get a single review on the last chapter. I know you all can do better than that!! Come on, think of it like a fundraiser!! Actually, no, I have bad luck with fundraisers. Okay, so this chapter may be a little slow, but it's really important that relationships start to develop. Alice knows something too, which she hints at an awful lot, because she's Alice. Anyway, read and REVIEW!!!**

**Also, I still ideas for a proper Cullen Thanksgiving. I've written around it, but I can't put chapter eight up without Thanksgiving, so please help me out!!  
**

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Chapter Five: Meeting the Cullens

I couldn't have been out more than a few minutes. And yet, I was a very comfortable bed, and there were suddenly many more thoughts around me.

_What do you mean, she knows? Edward Cullen, I am personally going to kill you myself, and I can promise you, I will pull you apart joint by joint, starting with your fingers…_

_She's pretty. I bet she'd fit in well. She smells good too. Not really appetizing, but good. That's weird. She's human, she's supposed to smell yummy…_

_She was compassionate before she stole from Carlisle. She loves her family a little too much. It's not going to end well. I don't think. Unless she can get her mother to leave. _

_I shouldn't be in here. Why did Carlisle send for me? This isn't a good idea at all. Someone is going to end up in trouble. Most likely me. _

_Oh, she's been beaten up bad, poor thing. She looks as bad I used to. She's too young to be married though. I hope it's not her father. The poor girl, she's barely a woman yet. She's too thin, as well. You can just see that she's sick with worry. Look how tense her mouth is even when she's asleep. _

"Adele?" My eyelids fluttered at my name. "That's it, dear, just wake up, and we can explain."

My eyes opened fully. I wasn't in the hospital. I was in a house. The room I was in was large, a front room by the looks of the ceiling. Much more decorative than the more functional upstairs rooms. I looked to my left, and saw Dr. Cullen, his golden eyes watching me.

"Where am I?" God, I sounded intelligent.

"You're in my home." He explained. "I thought it best that we brought you here. I want you to meet my family."

"I fainted." I remembered. "You didn't tell, did you?" I hissed, looking for Edward and finding him down by my feet.

"Didn't say a word." He said, and I knew he was telling the truth.

"Thank you." I whispered, my body relaxing to the news. He just smiled.

"Adele, I want you to meet my family." I looked around at the rest of the family, was surprised to find only one face I hadn't already seen. Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice were on my right, along with Jasper, who was just as my stolen memory had shown him, with one small exception. His expression was troubled, concern and confusion mixing, and also a bit a pain.

"You don't have to be here." I told him. His eyes snapped to mine, and for some reason I held his gaze. "Really, you don't. It's hurting you, and I don't want you to be hurt."

His eyes watched me for a moment, and then suddenly I felt calm. My heart rate slowed, and I sighed with relief.

"Do you feel better?" He asked, his voice holding the same honey tone as his hair.

"Yes." I glared at him with as much force as I could in my new state. "That's your super power, isn't it?"

He smiled. "I guess so." He said.

Alice was watching, and she suddenly grinned. "You two are going to be great friends." She said with utter confidence. "You'll be her favorite big brother, Jazz."

"Alice!" Edward and Dr. Cullen hissed. Rosalie didn't use words, but her discontent was known.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." Edward answered, too quickly. He was also running through the Battle Hymn again, so I didn't trust him.

"Adele, do you know them all?" Dr. Cullen cut in, his hand helping me sit up.

"Yes." I said, looking at all of them as I said their name. "Emmett. Alice. Jasper. Rosalie. Edward. Mrs. Cullen and Dr. Cullen."

"Esme, dear." She took a step towards me, her hand finding mine. Even though I should have expected it, her beauty took me by surprise. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you." I saw my bruises, my cuts, my damage in her mind, and it seemed so much worse from there.

"I'm fine." I whispered, unable to find my voice suddenly. I felt more calmness from Jasper. Esme's hand grasped mine a little tighter. "Thank you. All of you. I know you don't really want me here. Not all of you." I said against the oncoming protests from Esme and Alice. "So thank you."

"You're very welcome, Adele." Dr. Cullen assured me. "Although, we do have our own reasons for wanting you here right now."

"I know." I admitted. I cracked a small smile, then looked around. "Okay, who's first?"

"You mean I'm not?" Esme asked.

I looked down at our interlocked hands, and felt her gift pulsing underneath my skin. "No. Not yet." I paused, and imagined lifting a gate. In that moment, I was flooded with a maternal instinct that was not my own. I felt it course through me, warming me as Dr. Cullen's gift had. "Now you are." I smiled. She felt it as well. Her eyes locked on our hands, almost expecting to see it happening. "You're gift feels warm, comforting. Just like Dr. Cullen's did." I broke contact, and felt the new gift settle into place next to Edward's. Suddenly, I felt cramped.

"Edward?" I asked. He knew what I was going to ask, and had his hand already stretched towards me. I felt the tingle of his gift leaving me, and began to wonder why his felt different.

"It may have something to do with what kind of gift you are receiving." He answered for me. He shrugged. "Test it out."

I returned Esme's gift to her, and looked around. Alice was next to me in an instant, her palm out. I touched it gently. The tingling sensation was back. I shuddered against it. It was stronger with her than with Edward.

When she pulled away, she closed her eyes. "Okay, focus on me." I did, using my new power as well. "What do you see?"

As soon as she asked, I was assaulted by a memory that wasn't mine. Alice in a store in Boston. A showroom, more like. Clothing was everywhere, and she was stuck between two similar dresses. The memory dissolved there. I hadn't realized I had closed my eyes, but when I opened them, they were wide with horror.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have let Alice go without a warning." Dr. Cullen frowned slightly.

"You saw my future." Alice shrugged. "I decided to go shopping this weekend, and you saw that. Then you came to a decision I hadn't made yet, so it stopped there."

"what, so that wasn't just a memory?" I asked, smirking slightly, Alice shook her head. "That was the future?" She nodded this time, her grin growing wider. "That's so weird." I shook my head. "Please, take this one back."

Alice laughed, but held out her hand. The tingling was unpleasant now as it ran back to its owner, as if punishing me for my reaction. "Let Jasper go next." She said. "If my theory is right, he won't hurt her as much." Jasper inched closer, and he seemed nervous. "Don't worry. You won't hurt her."

"Right." Jasper murmured to himself. His hand touched mine, and Alice was right. Jasper's gift was warm, and, like everything else about him, like honey.

"You're trying to calm her at the same time." Alice pointed out. "That's cheating."

He sighed, but pulled back whatever he was using to soften the blow. This time, it wasn't as pleasant, but it didn't hurt either. It was warm, though.

"It doesn't hurt." I said. "It's still warm."

"Try it." Jasper said, pulling his palm away. I searched the room, feeling the emotions in the room stronger than I ever had before. They were tangible, like auras. I saw them. Dr. Cullen and Esme were calm, and interested in me. Alice was more excited. Rosalie was furious. Emmett was amused. And Jasper was nervous. I sent a wave of calm in his direction. He smiled as it hit him, and the others around him. Even Rosalie relaxed for a moment.

"She's pretty good, but she could use some fine tuning." He finally said.

"So we've discovered her talent." Rosalie suddenly broke through the calm I had sent, her eyes flashing. "What are we going to do with her?"

"We can't change her." Dr. Cullen said immediately. "I won't do it, and I don't want any of you to. Her life is still ahead of her."

"What if that option is taken from us?" Esme asked quietly, and I saw her eyes flicker to the bruise at my neck, still bright to all those with the golden eyes.

"We will be the first there, and we will offer her a choice then." Alice said. "I can tell you exactly when that will happen, should nothing change."

"Something always changes." Edward said.

I cleared my throat. "While I love coming up with my own wild theories, will I ever get an explanation as to what you actually are?"

Seven pairs of golden eyes stared at me, each contemplating.

"Later." Dr. Cullen finally said.

"Nope." I shook my head. "I need a day."

"Before Thanksgiving." Alice piped up. Everyone turned to her. "If we don't tell her, she'll figure it out by then."

"We'll tell you before Thanksgiving." Dr. Cullen took my hand. "But, please, do us one favor. Don't talk about this to anyone. We cannot stay here if we appear out of the ordinary. We try to blend in as much as possible."

"I won't tell a soul." I promise. Edward nodded, satisfied by my sincerity.

"You promise." Rosalie said. It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. Suddenly, she reached out, her long fingers finding my hair. She ran through the long, tangled locks, her eyes never leaving mine. She sighed, and took her hand back.

"I like her." She announced, looking around to her family. "I knew you were concerned, but I do like her. She'll just take some getting used to."

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual." They laughed, and even after I gave Jasper back his gift, the sound filled me with warmth.


	7. Theories

**I want to thank all of those who reviewed the last chapter. I love reviews. I mean, who doesn't love reviews??**

**But anyway, a lot happens in this chapter. I really like this chapter, and I hope everyone else does as well!  
**

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Chapter Six: Theories

I went to rehearsal the next afternoon, Dr. Cullen having given me the clear last night. It took me a while to work through the odd kinks that had popped up after a few days off. Jamie helped me through it though, and we worked on our final pose until he was absolutely sure I wouldn't hurt myself again.

"I had to dance with Abigail while you were gone. I do not want that to happen again." He confessed as we landed our position for the twentieth time. His sandy hair was slick with sweat, but his eyes twinkled as they looked at me.

"Oh, you poor baby." I rolled my eyes, and he smile brightly.

"Miss Foster, we need you!" Madame yelled. I followed the sound of her voice to center stage, where the rest of the flowers were. "Has Carlisle cleared you to dance?"

"Yes, he has." I smiled. It seemed strange to hear his first name. Naturally the adults in town would know him by his first name now. "I told him I healed quick."

"You always have." She said. I had been dancing with Madame for nearly twelve years now, ever since she first arrived. She had seen me recover from worse. "Now, let me see the routine."

--- --- ---

The weekend was rather uneventful. It was bright out, the sun peaking behind the winter clouds that continued to roll in. I finished up my homework Saturday morning, spending the rest of the day practicing. I was usually left to my own devices on Saturdays, not that I minded. Today, I was especially grateful, as it gave me time to think.

My first meeting with the Cullens had left me with a lot to think about. I first focused on their appearance. It was clear that they were not actually related. They all looked completely different, with only two things tying them together. They were all extremely pale, with the same curious, golden eyes. I was humming along with the radio, folding a load of laundry as I contemplated. Those eyes had to mean something. It was such a strange color, one I had certainly never seen before. Their skin held the same curious similarity. They were all so pale, so cold to the touch. Those two factors alone convinced me that their family was based more on what they were than any actual blood between them. At one point, they were all strangers. Then something brought them together. They were all gifted, in some way as well. Even those gifts that weren't as tangible to me, like Edward's and Alice's, I could sense somewhere below the surface. I knew Rosalie's beauty was enhanced, the same way I knew Emmett could easily crush me, and that Esme was already reaching out to me as a daughter. It was part of who they were.

And yet, what were they? I had never seen anything like them before. For all their beauty they seemed dangerous. I couldn't understand my own fascination with them. They were just the new family in town. It happened every so often. And sure, some freak occurrence happened. Maybe I dreamed it. Maybe I was in a coma right this second, dreaming the whole thing.

No. They were real. Well, real in the sense that I wasn't making them up. They did seem to be more than human. Some sort of superhero, I had thought at first. But maybe not. No, if the creeping sense of danger I had around them was any indication, they were not ready to save the world. But surely they weren't destroying it? Esme and Dr. Cullen flashed through my mind. They could never destroy anything. There was too much love for the human race as a whole with them. I could feel it.

And what was with that? Since when did I have any sort of magic voodoo powers? Now that I had been experimenting, I realized that I had all along. I had always assumed I was a fast learner. Now I was realizing just _how_ fast. I stood and stretched, my arms extending high above me. I suddenly remembered a dance lesson I had when I was younger, with my first teacher, Miss Ellen. "Reach up higher, Adele." She told me. "Touch the face of God." I had risen to my toes, pushing my arms as far and straight as they would go. I closed my eyes and repeated the motion now, imagining what the face of God would look like. Try as I might, I kept seeing Dr. Cullen's face.

Maybe they were gods. That's why they were so talented, so beautiful. I grimaced at myself. It didn't explain the feeling of danger at all. Gods were benevolent. And even though I suspected they would never try to hurt me intentionally, there was something wild about the Cullens I was aware of now.

I continued to contemplate the strange family all weekend, coming up with ideas even crazier as they went along. They were monsters, they were animals, they were fairies, they were angels.

I was still thinking about it as I walked to school on Monday. Daddy had been good this weekend, when he had even been home. Mama and I stopped asking where he disappeared to. Wherever he went, it wasn't a happy place.

I was so caught up in my theories, I hadn't noticed someone fall in step next to me until I heard her voice.

"The library isn't going to help you." Alice pulled me out of my own thoughts with her familiar, confident tone. "At least, not the school library."

"I didn't think it would." I admitted. "Unless you all are angels, it's useless. Our library banned any books containing black magic." A sudden idea struck me. "Hey, I'll add that to the list."

"List?" Alice asked warily.

"She has a list in her mind of possibilities." Edward said, sneaking up behind me and making me jump. "It's quite comprehensive. She seems to be missing a few of the usuals, though."

"For the record, Cullen, most humans don't like it when you sneak up on them." I muttered. A booming laugh behind me alerted me to Emmett's arrival. "Glad you think I'm funny!" I snapped. He just continued to chuckle. "But what do you mean, 'the usuals'?" I asked. "You've had people guess before?"

"Not exactly." Edward admitted. "But sometimes some people see us and get a little imaginative. I don't think you have been reading the same materials they have, though, because you missed a few possibilities."

"Can you tell if the right one is on the list?" I asked, trying to look sweet and innocent. Edward laughed again, shaking his head. "How about you answer this question?" I thought it in my head, hoping he would answer. He frowned slightly, thinking.

"Jasper…isn't used to blending in like the rest of us." He said, choosing his words carefully. "Right now it's easier for him to find other ways to amuse himself during the day. He tries it in phases."

"Practice makes perfect." I mumbled. They laughed, the sound like music in the crisp morning air. "So I was right then." I stated. Alice looked at me, confused. "This whole high school thing is a cover up." I said softly, knowing they would hear.

"Yes." Edward said.

"It's not a very good one." I argued. "Especially if you want to be freshmen."

"It's worked so far." Alice pointed out. I shot her a look. "With one exception." She admitted.

"You sure just one?" I asked as we approached the front doors to the building.

"Positive." Edward said, nodding. "I would know. And you haven't told anyone, have you?"

I shook my head, letting him check my thoughts. "Who would believe me?"

"She's got a point." Emmett said, holding the door open.

We went our separate ways then, and I didn't see them again until religion. I slumped down into my new seat, my mind subconsciously running over the 'list of possibilities', as Edward had put it. So far, they all seemed ridiculous, but none so much that I could cross them off. I was still thinking when they entered the room, all looking rather amused.

"Laughing at me again?" I asked.

"Yes." Alice said, sitting in front of Edward. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help smiling a little. They were weird, but they were become good friends quickly. Edward laughed at my thoughts again, and as I glared at him held out his hand. I sent out a quizzical look, asking him if he was serious. He nodded. I glanced around the room quickly, and when I was satisfied no one was watching me, I touched my palm to his gently.

The tingling felt more like electricity now as it coursed through my body. I pulled away when my mind felt full.

_You have so many questions, I just want to be able to answer them before you burst. _ He was laughing at me again. I was beginning to wonder if the Cullens actually liked me, or I was just a running joke with them. _A bit of both. _He admitted. _But you wouldn't know as much as you do now f we didn't like you. We'd have left. _

_Is it really that big a secret?_

_You're on the right track with the supernatural stuff. I wouldn't say angels, exactly. _I saw him smile from the corner of my eyes as I remember the danger I kept feeling. _That's better. Much closer. _

_So you're not safe to be around. None of you are. _I thought. _Then why am I still here??_

_I don't know. You are more powerful than most humans. You seem to be living your life dangerously, so maybe the danger of being around us isn't as great to you. _

_What do you mean, I live dangerously?_

He brought forward a memory of my father that wasn't mine. He was clearly drunk, still in his work clothes, in what had to be Boston. It was night, and he was yelling at the cab driver on the curb next to him.

_I saw him this weekend. _Edward admitted. _I wouldn't have seen the resemblance, except for the eyes. _

He was right. I had inherited my father's bright, emerald green eyes. I hated them. They were the clearest tie to him, something I didn't want. They clashed with the rest of me that screamed of my mother's heritage.

_If you become one of us, that will change. _He thought distractedly. _It doesn't make them any less beautiful, though. It's such an amazing color. _

_So the eye color is indicative of what you are. _I added that to the growing list of characteristics the Cullens had in common. _And I don't care if they are beautiful. They remind me of him, and he's ugly. _

_Why do you stay? _There was a pleading tone in his thoughts, as though begging me to see reason. _You know what he's doing is wrong. Leave him. _

_I can't leave my mother. _He understood that, but was ignoring it. _She won't leave him, and I won't leave her. _

_Adele, it's not going to end well. _ A memory of his surfaced, and I caught it before he could hide it away behind a song in an unfamiliar language.

_What was that?_ I asked, though I already knew. _Edward, when did she see that? Why? Hasn't something changed yet? _I didn't fully understand Alice's gift, but I knew it was subjective.

_It's coming sooner. _He admitted. I blanched at the thought. _Right now it's after Christmas. That's if nothing changes. Which is why you should leave. _

_Will it ever change?_

_So long as you stay here, it won't. _

_I can't leave. _

_Adele, we don't want to see you hurt. _

_Then don't come when it happens. _

_We have to be there. They'll call Carlisle first thing. _

_Make him stay home. _

_I can't make him do anything. Adele, listen to me. We want to protect you. All of us. It's never been like this before, where we all were focused on one goal. _

_That's kind of you, but I don't need protecting. _

_Clearly you do. _ His view of my various hurts flashed across my mind.

_We're done talking about this. I'm done. _

_Okay then. What are some of your other theories?_

I spent the rest of the period explaining them all to him. He laughed at most of them, and gave me a few suggestions. He ran over my growing list of Cullen characteristics, a little surprised by how long it was. In the end, though, he didn't really help me at all.

The bell rang, and I silently return Edward's gift. He thanked me, and began gathering his stuff. He threw Alice a quizzical look, but she didn't notice. Instead, she sat at her desk, stock still, her eyes pointed at the chalk board, though she seemed to be looking past it. Edward's expression changed, and I saw Alice's face whipped towards me, an odd smile on her face.

"Come Adele, you have dance after school." She said, standing up and grabbing my book bag. I took it from her, curious as to watch she had seen. Edward just shook his head, clearly telling me that I didn't want to know.

They walked me to dance, laughing and joking like we had known each other for years. When we finally waved goodbye outside the stage door, Alice was smirking like she knew a secret. I scowled at her, and she laughed.

I was later than normal, and had to scurry to get ready. I was the last on stage, sliding into place next to Jamie just seconds before Madame called us to order. He looked up from his book, flashed me his bright smile, and marked his page, setting the book between us.

"You're late." He pointed out quietly.

I scowled at him. "No, really?" I asked.

"Yes, really." He answered seriously. I rolled my eyes at him, but they landed on the book in his hand.

"Dracula?" I asked. The drawing on the cover was mildly disturbing. The Count was holding a girl by the neck, his fangs just an inch away.

"It's actually really good." Jamie said. "Dracula's pretty creepy."

"He looks creepy." I said, still staring at the cover.

"Well, he's dead, you know. Technically. That's why he's so pale, and his teeth are so white. He's strong, too."

"How strong?" I asked. Pale, white teeth, strength…maybe we were on to something.

"Stronger than Superman." Jamie said. It was a compliment from him. I knew Jamie still had Superman comic books.

"What color are his eyes?" I asked.

Jamie shrugged. "I don't know. Black, I guess."

My shoulders slumped. Though it could be a good thing that Cullens weren't vampires. "Vampires drink blood, don't they?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

"Human blood." Jamie said, watching me squirm. "It's what keeps them young. They can't eat food."

That would never work. The Cullens were too kind to be killers. "Ew." I said, thinking about my own blood being drained from me, sucked out by two holes in my neck.

"Yeah, it is pretty gross." He shrugged, though he still seemed fascinated by the idea. "But don't worry." He grinned at me, slipping an arm around my shoulder. "I won't let the scary monsters get you." Madame came in then, calling us to order. We didn't have time to talk anymore.

--- --- ---

After dinner I finished my homework, then ran over my list again. As I thought, I realized that vampire was the best fit for the Cullens. There was the skin, the strength, the teeth (though I was sure none of the Cullens had fangs, exactly, their teeth were very white and very sharp looking), and the aversion to food. I had never seen them in the sun, either, though that didn't mean much when the town didn't get much sun in general.

But there was one big thing that didn't fit. The whole blood thing. As dangerous as they seemed, I couldn't imagine any one of them killing a human. To me, they were too kind, too civilized for that. I also didn't think they would put themselves in public if they were constantly driven by the need to kill the innocent townsfolk. And what about Dr. Cullen? Wouldn't that be a problem, working in a hospital and all?

No. I stood up from my bed and began changing into my pajamas. They weren't vampires. They couldn't be.

As I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, a memory struck me harder than ever before.

_I saw Jasper, the first time I had been to the Cullen's house. He was standing the farthest away from, his eyes burning as he watched me wake up. He couldn't look away, it seemed. His whole body seemed tense with pain. He was in control of the pain, for now. _

"_You don't have to be here." I heard the ghost of my voice, reassuring him. "Really, you don't. It's hurting you, and I don't want you to be hurt."_

My mind showed me another memory, this one from just this morning.

"_Jasper…isn't used to blending in like the rest of us." Edward was answering my unspoken question. "Right now it's easier for him to find other ways to amuse himself during the day. He tries it in phases."_

"_Practice makes perfect." _

I had been joking, but suddenly, I didn't think they were really laughing. Jasper wasn't coming to school. He was practicing. He wasn't ready to handle school like the rest of them were. They somehow had learned how to control themselves. Jasper hadn't. That's why it had hurt him so much to be in the same room with me.

He had wanted to kill me.


	8. The Truth

**Hey everyone. I want to thank my reviewers, Scampifish, sleepthroughthestatic, monkey-luver14, and Shannon R. You guys are so great!!**

**This chapter is a little shorter than normal, but very important. I hope you all like it!  
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Chapter Seven: The Truth

I thought it was going to be hard to see the Cullens in the morning and act normal. I thought I was going to run screaming from them when they stopped to pick me up, like they usually did. They lived farther, and when they walked by my house in the morning, I usually was ready, so I walked to school with them. I thought that was going to be impossible.

It wasn't. I fell into step as I normally did. I was singing "Stand By Me" in my head as loudly as I could, though, and Edward instantly knew something was up. Alice knew something was up, as well. He ignored it, though, and just talked to me about how rehearsals were coming. We had three weeks until we opened Thanksgiving weekend, and I was starting to get butterflies.

Yesterday was the end of the first quarter of the year, which meant that the entire school now had to switch their free block activity. I had taken gym the first quarter, because I had needed one more credit to graduate. For the rest of the year I got to take music, which made me happy. It wasn't the same as dancing, but it was still fun.

So fourth hour I headed down to our basement music room, already hearing a familiar beat. I grinned, realizing that at least Edward was in this class with me. Sure enough, he was at our ancient upright in the corner, playing with one hand. He was humming the melody, and I sat down on the bench next to him, picking up where he was.

"If the sky that we look upon  
Should tumble and fall  
And the mountains should crumble to the sea  
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me  
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me"

"I thought you didn't like pop music." I said.

"I don't." He admitted. "But I make exceptions sometimes."

"Clearly." I smiled. "I love that song."

"I would hope so." He shook his head. "You've been thinking it all day." His eyes seemed to be darker as he studied me. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing." I shook my head. I switched to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".

He laughed. "I know that one too." He said, picking up on the rhythm. We sang along to that one as well, until we heard the rest of the class start coming in.

Ms. Furman, the music teacher, was one of my favorite teachers. She taught us the curriculum, but always as fast as she could so we could move on to the other, much more fun topics. My freshman year we had studies the last decade of music, and wrote our final paper on how we though the music of the 60's would grow on the music of the 50's. It was the best assignment I had ever gotten.

"Adele Foster, can I see you for a moment?" She called from her desk at the top of the room.

"Yes ma'am." I walked to the front of the room, her warm brown eyes smiling at me.

"Adele, you are the only new one in this class, so I hope you don't mind that we just keep moving forward. I think you had all of this four years ago."

"I did, ma'am." I smiled. "And I don't mind at all."

"I didn't think you would." She smiled. "You're all set."

"Thank you." I returned to the only available seat, conveniently next to Edward and Alice, who I hadn't seen slip into the room. I sat down between them, careful to sing "At Last" in my head so my thoughts couldn't wander. Edward chuckled, but didn't say anything. He touched my hand with the tips of his cold fingers, and I allowed his gift to flow into me.

_What do you not want me to know? _He asked bluntly.

_Why would I tell you? _I asked, humming the song to myself.

_And why that song?_

_I love this song. I'm dancing to this song at my wedding. _

_And who will the groom be?_

_I don't know. A guy. _

_That's helpful. _

_I know. _

His mind drifted to a wedding. I saw the memory like it was my own. The couple was beautiful, standing just ahead a little. I was seeing it through Edward's eyes, and I assumed he was standing in the best man's position. The man was standing tall, his eyes never leaving the face of the woman in front of them. With a slight shock of recognition, I realized it was Carlisle and Esme. They were breathtaking up there together, so clearly in love, you could feel it through the small chapel.

_It would have been the perfect song. _Edward decided, and the memory began to fade.

_That was wonderful. _I thought. _It looked a scene from a film. Wait…how were you the best man? Shouldn't you have been a toddler? _I also realized that the happy couple weren't looking any older than they had then.

_Whoops. I thought you had figured that out already. _

_What vampires don't age, either?_

We both froze. The thought had sipped without my meaning to. He was gazing at me with a strange mix of horror and contemplation. Finally, his mind began forming thoughts again.

_When did you figure it out?_

_Last night. I didn't believe it at first, but then something kind of clicked. _ My Jasper memory flashed again, and Edward nodded. _This means another visit with Carlisle, doesn't it?_

_Yes, it does. _That irritating, amused tone had reappeared, so I knew all was not lost. _But one question first. Why are you not trembling in terror?_

I had this answer ready. I had figured it out during trig. _Even though it hurt him, Jasper was able to control himself. Carlisle is able to control himself. If any of you thought you couldn't keep control, you wouldn't be here right now. You wouldn't blow the cover. _

_You have too much faith in us. _He thought, a new, bitter tone to his voice.

_I have no other choice anymore. _I reminded him. He grimaced slightly, but agreed.

_Carlisle's shift ends early today. You'll come home with us. _

--- --- ---

The walk home was oddly silent. We were all wrapped up in our own thoughts. Well, all but Edward. He was wrapped up in our thoughts. I had been expecting some shiver of fear when I was in the middle of them again. Now that I understood just how dangerous they were, I should have been terrified. I wasn't afraid, though. I was comforted. I knew they could hurt me, but that they wouldn't. It was as much to protect themselves as it was to protect me, but I didn't care. I was protecting them too. I had kept my mouth shut, hadn't said a word about what they were. I didn't want them to leave.

We had just reached my house when Edward turned to me. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes. This is my secret now too, and I want to know everything." He frowned, and I pushed. "It's my secret now too."

"She's right." Emmett agreed suddenly. "She's part of the family now."

"You shouldn't put so much stock in Alice." Edward warned.

Rosalie shrugged. "Even if she doesn't change, she's still family now." She said. "Esme is already in her mother hen mood over her. It's just a matter of time before…" She trailed off, her eyes falling on me and my curious expression.

"Before what?" I asked. All of their eyes darted to Alice, was staring determinedly at the ground. "What's going to happen?" I asked her.

"Well, this is just if nothing changes." She warned me. "If you stay on the path you are on now. If he stays on the path he's on now." I looked at her, my eyes wide. I could tell what was coming. "Your father is not getting better, Adele." She informed me.

"Yes he is." I argued. I had stopped walking, and was now tearing up in the middle of freezing sidewalk. "He's getting loads better. I made it through the weekend without incident."

"That's only because he's worried people are getting suspicious." Edward picked the thought out of my head.

"You don't understand." I shook my head, fighting back tears. "He doesn't mean it. He's not himself when he-" My voice froze, and I was just choking on my words.

"But he's not getting better." Alice said, her cold hands wrapping around mine. "He's sick. You know that."

"So how long until…?" I couldn't finish.

"For him, probably a few years." Alice said softly. "But for you and your mother, two months tops."

"What do you mean?" I asked, ignoring the truth for as long as possible. "My mom and I aren't sick."

"Adele, he's going to kill you." Edward's voice was soft, but I heard the hard truth of his words. The air was suddenly gone from my lungs, my head swimming. I couldn't feel, I couldn't think. Etta James was running through my head again. This clearly confused Edward.

"I don't think now is the time." He said, putting an arm around my shoulder and forcing me to continue walking. "We'll continue this conversation at home."

"Home." The word tumbled from my mouth without a purpose. It felt so nice to say, though I didn't have a reason to say it. I wasn't even sure if I had one anymore.

"You're coming home with us, now." Alice explained as though I were three. I felt three right then, blindly following where they big kids lead me.

We reached the Cullen home in a few minutes. The house was the same it had always been. A big blue job, with white gingerbread trim and a wrap around porch. There were even round towers in the north and east corners. It had been kept in pristine condition by the previous owners, and was one of the most beautiful houses on the block. The beauty seemed to strike me suddenly, and I thought that it was the perfect place to call home. It looked like a home, the way some houses do.

"Carlisle." Edward called as soon as the door was open. Having already seen the inside, I should not have been amazed by its beauty, and yet I was. The normalcy of it was surprising, too. Ever since the word vampire had popped into my head, I had been seeing cauldrons and coffins and chains and dungeons. Thought some part of me knew none of hose things applied to the Cullens, I was still surprised by the brightness of the interior.

"Adele?" My concentration was broken as Carlisle said my name. I looked around, and every pair of golden eyes watched me nervously.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling like I had missed something.

"I think you are right, Edward." Carlisle said, pursing his lips. "Perhaps we should stop in the kitchen then. Her body needs some sugar."

My stomach attested that fact loudly. There was a small ripple of laughter as Edward steered me into the kitchen. I allowed him, and was slightly surprised at myself. Normally I would have shrugged him off by now.

"Your body is in shock." He explained quietly. "You can't comprehend then new information yet, and so your body has shut down slightly. But it should fade. If you really are as quick a healer as Carlisle says, it should be in time for you to go home." He sat me down at a large kitchen table, Alice plopping down next to me. "You're going to need to eat something for me. It will help you recover quicker."

"What are you making me eat?" I asked, wrinkling my nose slightly.

He laughed. "Whatever you want."

I sighed, looking at Alice. She laughed, getting up. "You really think she's in the proper state to choose?" She asked, dancing across to the cupboards. She paused, and pulled out a jar of peanut butter, holding it up for me. I nodded.

"No jelly." Edward said, finding my thoughts again. That made him happy, and he and Alice made quick work of the peanut butter sandwich. Emmett sliced an apple and set it on the plate, bringing the finished snack over to me. I stared t it for a moment, then dug in fervently. I realized that the entire Cullen family had now arrived at the table, and were watching me eat. It felt awkward to me, so I swallowed and spoke.

"Why do you have food in the house if you don't eat?"

Esme's eyes widened, though she seemed to be the only one surprised that I had figured it out. I noticed Jasper at the far end turn his head sharply to look at me, but even he didn't seem surprised. Just worried.

"It's always good to have the props in place." Carlisle said. "And for you."

"Thank you." I whispered. They all heard me just fine, though. I cleared my throat, and louder, asked. "So, I hope you don't mind the question, but if you are vampires, why are you out in the daylight?"

There was more laughter, Emmett's the loudest, and I felt instantly better.

"Most of the things humans know about our kind are complete lies." Edward said. "Put out by other vampires to leave a false trail."

"While direct sunlight does us no favors, we are free to move about during the day as we please." Carlisle said.

"So what happens in sunlight?" I asked. There was a quick exchange of expressions, and I shook my head. "Tell me the truth."

"The truth is kind of stupid." Emmett admitted.

"In sunlight we…sparkle." Rosalie said the final word with a hint of distaste.

"You sparkle?" I asked. They all nodded. "Like Tinker Bell?" They nodded, the boys grimacing slightly. I tried not to laugh. It didn't work. A small giggle escaped, which turned into a full-blown laugh. "That is the least-vampire-like thing I've ever heard!" I dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"It's not funny." Edward mumbled. "It's supposed to make us more dangerous."

"Yes, because when I see glitter, I automatically think of danger." I choked out. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "Wow. So it's a good thing you avoid the sun. We would want you blinding anyone." I allowed myself one more snort of laughter before I moved on. "Okay, so sunlight isn't dangerous. Is anything, then? I mean, garlic, mirrors, holy water, stakes…?"

"None of that." Carlisle shook his head.

"Good luck trying to get a stake through us." Jasper snorted. I gave him a curious look. "Our skin can't be penetrated by anything besides vampire teeth." He said.

"Wood wouldn't stand a chance, would it?" I asked. He shook his head, and I turned my attention on Alice's hand on the table next to me. I sent her a short glance, and she moved her hand forward, letting me touch it again. I understood as my hand ran along the hard, cool, white skin. It was like marble in every sense.

"So the pale skin is right." I said. "What about the super speed?"

"True." Carlisle nodded.

"Super strength?"

"True."

"And the diet?" I hadn't wanted to ask, but I had to know.

"Blood is a necessity." Carlisle said slowing, picking his words. "But it's not what you are thinking. We don't drink human blood. We've found that it is possible to thrive off the blood of animals."

"No human blood." I nodded to myself. "Only animals. Why?" I asked.

There was a pause. They were not expecting that question.

"We all have our own reasons." Carlisle continued. "But mostly it is a reverence of human life."

"It feels like murder." I said, again to myself, though I heard a few agreements. "Well, it is murder. That's why it feels like murder." I muttered at myself. I looked up again. "So you hunt animals. And it's a good substitute?"

"It works." Edward shrugged. "We're sustained, and don't starve."

"But it's not the same?" I asked.

"Not exactly." He paused. "Think of it like this. I put out a huge feast for you, all your favorite foods. Then I put out this." He motioned to my half empty plate. "Both would keep you from starving, both would satisfy your physical needs. But which would you rather have? Which would you enjoy more?"

"So the feast is humans." I said, drawing the analogy. "And the sandwich is animals. The feast is tastier, but you don't like the consequences. So it's like the feast coming with a huge price tag. So even though it would taste better, you make the sacrifice and have the sandwich, which does the trick, but only on one level."

"Exactly." Edward smiled. "You'll always want the feast more."

"That's unreal." I said. They laughed again. "So what about the eyes? Dracula had black eyes."

"Dracula was hungry." Jasper muttered. They laughed again, and he cracked a grin as he explained. "The color comes from our diet. All vampires start with red eyes. If they feed off human blood, the color fades to a burgundy color after about a year. The longer it has been since the hunt, the darker the eyes get, until they are black. Then, when that vampire feeds again, the eyes turn back to burgundy. We're different, because of the animal thing. They still get black when we get thirsty, but they are a goldish color."

"So it's about the diet. Is that why it's easier to blend in? I mean, your color is weird enough. I can't imagine anyone with red eyes fitting in." I was still eating, but I was curious.

"I suppose." Jasper shrugged. "I've never heard of another coven trying to blend in."

"Coven." The word sounded funny. I had always seen the Cullens as a family.

"We are a family." Edward said. "That's another effect of the animal blood. We're a bit more…civil towards each other than others of our kind. Other covens get as big as three, maybe four. Ours is so large because we are not fighting with each other constantly like others are."

"This is so intense." I shook my head, letting the information settle. "I didn't realize there would be vampire politics. So none of you are actually related, right?" They all shook their heads. "So how did you all come together?"

"Carlisle." Edward said instantly. I looked over at the doctor, taking him in as the coven leader. He wasn't formidable in any way, yet it was clear that he held the most power in his family. "Carlisle either changed or found all of us. He's what holds us together."

"It's much more than that." Carlisle disagreed. "Alice and Jasper found us. They were alone for quite a while."

"But before that." I asked, my eyes now glued to him. "What happened to you?"

He examined me for a long moment, probably judging if I was up for the story. To prove my point, I shoved the last bit of apple in my mouth. I felt like someone was telling me to put a good book down at the best part.

He smiled, but continued. "My life began in England about three hundred and twenty years ago."


	9. Family

**Hello!! So we're up with Chapter Eight, which is the longest yet. There so much in here, it's like a landmine. Anyway, thanks go out to Scampifish, sleepthroughthestatic, and monkey-luver14 for their awesome reviews!! And Ireally do hate the fact that these vampires glitter. Just saying, there ain't nothing dangerous about sparkles. **

**Also, on the news front, I have a poll in my profile. Because, you know, there MIGHT be a sequel to this story and that MIGHT mean some romance for Adele. You know...of the romantic variety. So let me know what you think!! I like that. And you can also let me know what you think by sending me a review!!!!  
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Chapter Eight: Family

My head was spinning for the rest of the week. I knew all their stories now, and the Cullens had adopted me as much as they could. Emmett called me their new pet, but I could hear him laughing underneath the gruff words. I saw every one of them in a different light once I saw their stories.

Rosalie was the biggest shock. She seemed so invincible in her new life, I couldn't imagine her vulnerable. Suddenly I understood her air of pretension. She was keeping herself from being hurt again. She was also slightly jealous of me, with my human life laid out before me while she could only watch. Despite her cruel exterior, I knew she would have made a wonderful mother.

I understood Esme's need to protect me. She saw so much of herself in my bruised, cut up face. Her maternal instinct combined with her pain in an overwhelming sense of protection. Anywhere with her was a safe place, one where it did no good to try and hide anything. She always knew, and always understood. She was the only one who didn't stay on my case about leaving. She saw that I had few options, and none that I was willing to take. She even told the others to back off a few times.

Alice was fascinated. She had no human memories of her own, and didn't know her past at all. I told her the stories my mother had told me, about the sun god Inti, his wife Mama Quilla, and their children, my mother's people. She never grew bored with the stories, even when I couldn't remember then correctly. Her eyes only grew wider as the stories grew more dramatic. When I explained how I still prayed to them, like my mother and her family always had, she didn't laugh as I had expected, but smiled, and said that it made more sense that way.

Jasper listened to my stories as well. I had though it was just because Alice did, but she explained to me that he liked them as well. I reminded him of his sister who used to make up her own stories. She also explained that he was drawn to my emotions.

"You're so happy." She shrugged. "He feels that, and it's refreshing to him. You're as close to the sun as he can get now." It seemed he was always present, though he rarely said anything. Every time I looked at him, though, he smiled.

Emmett took the big brother role pretty seriously as well. Unfortunately, that translated into a lot of teasing. He would comment on anything and everything, from my stumbling to the way I got cranky when I was hungry. Even at school, where the Cullens kept their distance, he would never be afraid to laugh if I tripped.

The biggest change, though, came with Carlisle. As I listened to his story, I was amazed. I had never meet a person so set on doing the right thing, whatever that may be. He was undeniably good, better than any human I had met. He was also the best father I had ever seen. Thought these were not his biological children, I could see how he had adopted each and every one of them to form a true, if unconventional, family. He was everything I didn't have in a father, his family the exact opposite of mine. A part of me yearned to join that family, to fully experience the love that seemed to fill the old Victorian house. I knew though, through the vague terms each of the Cullens (except Alice) used to describe their own transformations, that it would be impossible. Carlisle had made it clear he was not willing to change me in my current state, and I was still quite attached to my humanity. As much as grew to love the Cullen family, I tried my best not to think of their eating habits.

My memories of the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving weekend and my final Nutcracker performances are forever mingled with my first memories of the Cullens. While the nervous energy of rehearsal faded over time, it was replaced with a quiet confidence that infested every member of the company. Though Carlisle insisted on checking my ankle every few days, it healed perfectly, and stayed healed. I reached the last day of rehearsals without another injury.

We were given Wednesday and Thursday off, with out first performance Friday night at seven. The last day of school was Tuesday, and most of our teachers were kind and didn't give us homework for the long weekend.

Last period seemed to drag. Edward and I 'talked' through the whole thing, but I was still ticking down the seconds until final bell.

_Thinking about it only makes it seem longer. _He warned me. I ignored him.

_I want to go home! I still have two pies to bake before we leave for my grandmother's! I'm so bored, and my legs are cramping up from not moving. I need to STRETCH!!!_

_Relax. _I saw him smiled out of the corner of my eyes. _ You'll be out soon enough. Speaking of which, when are you arriving home after this long-awaited trip to your grandmother's?_

He was making fun of me. He knew I didn't want to go. Nana Foster wasn't even my real grandmother; she was my dad's crazy third cousin or something ridiculous like that. We had agreed when I was four that we did not like each other after she had tried to teach me how to play blind man's bluff and I threw up on her priceless carpet. Even now, she stared at me like I would do it again, though my sense of balance had greatly improved since then.

_We'll be there until she gets mad and kicks out, telling us not to bother coming back until next year. That usually happens at about three in the afternoon, so I should be back by four. _

_Good. Carlisle wanted me to invite you over for our own Thanksgiving celebration. _He waited for a reply, and I noticed the worried tone in his voice when he continued. _Adele? Are you okay? You're mind is blank._

_Yeah, fine. Umm, Edward? How exactly do vampires celebrate Thanksgiving?_

He laughed out loud then. Every face turned to ours in that moment. I ducked my head down, my dark hair falling into my face so no one could see me blush. Edward tried to look apologetic, but he just seemed amused.

_Don't worry. You are not the meal. It is supposed to be a surprise. _

_No offense, but surprises from vampires sounds really dangerous. And like a cheap romance novel. _

I watched as he tried to stop his shoulders from shaking as he laughed. _Don't worry. You are not in any sort of danger. That includes dime store novels as well. _

_Thanks. I hear those books are vicious. _

We tried to keep straight faces for the rest of class, to no avail. As the bell rang his cold fingers brushed against the back of my hand, and I returned the gift, still fighting laughter.

"You are going to get me into so much trouble." I muttered, knowing he would be able to hear me.

"It's not my fault you can't control yourself." He chuckled, and I heard him fill in his family, though the words were just a low hum to me.

"I'm sorry I don't have a few decades of experience." I grumbled, putting my books back into my locker. Emmett laughed at my pain, as usual.

"I'm so glad your coming!" Alice squealed, hugging me. As usual, I was handled with a delicate touch, as though I were spun glass.

"We'll try to keep her in check." Rosalie murmured to me. "I wouldn't count on it, though."

My worry about a Cullen Thanksgiving increased.

--- --- ---

Grandma Foster's was its usual disaster. She was appalled by the brightness of my violet dress, and nearly died when I sat down and she saw my knees. She ignored me when she wasn't telling me off, and tried to shame my mother for allowing me to leave the house the way I was dressed. By the time we left, my mother was promising to make me wear a habit.

When I arrived home, I realized Edward hadn't given me any details about this extra Thanksgiving I was to attend.

"When are you leaving, mija?" She asked, putting away the leftovers.

"I…don't know." I shook my head, confused.

"Maybe you should call them." My mother's accent always grew stronger after she tried to hide it, like she had been for Grandma Foster.

"Yeah, maybe." I shrugged, also realizing I didn't know the Cullen's phone number. It wasn't quite how they operated, clearly. "I should go change." I decided, looking down at the pretty swing skirt of my new favorite dress. "I should save this for next year."

My mother's laughter followed me to the stairs. I raced up, into my room, humming to myself as I did. I set my purse and gloves down at the foot of my bed, still humming. As I reached the closet door, though, I heard a tapping noise. It took another moment for me to realize that the tapping happened to be the beat of the song. I now connected "Stand By Me" with only one other person.

"Edward?" I only whispered his name, and yet I heard him chuckle. I flew to my window, parting the curtain and scowling as I saw him perched on the garage roof like he owned it. "What are you doing?" I hissed, opening the window. "What are my neighbors going to think?"

"You're neighbors are not home." He said, sliding in as easily as though it were a double door. "I'm not entirely careless, Adele." He seemed amused, and I just glared at him.

"Don't be too loud." I hissed. "My dad will at least try to hurt you if he finds you here."

"He won't find me." He was far too confident for my taste. "Anyway, I just came to warn you. Carlisle and Esme are coming to pick you up in about ten minutes. They want to meet your parents, but realize this is a sensitive subject." His gaze lingered on a half healed cut on my bare hand, then returned to mine. "In any case, you should be ready by then." He gave me a crooked smile. "And that is certainly not proper attire."

"Well, I'm going to need some help in that area." I snapped gently, though I couldn't help but feel lucky that Carlisle and Esme were looking out for me.

"You are overdressed at the moment." He said lightly. "Though that shade of purple is wonderful on you."

"Thank you." I beamed, turning back to my closet. Edward followed, shaking his head occasionally. He eventually grew tired of the game, and picked something out himself.

"Here." He handed me a bundle of clothes, rolling his eyes gently. "Get dressed. We'll be here soon." He slipped out my window again before I had a chance to say anything. Pouting slightly, I changed my clothes. I raised an eyebrow at the depressingly casual outfit Edward had picked out, even if it did seem to match the tone of his own clothing.

"Mama." I ran down the stairs, finding her in the living room. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are picking me up at four thirty. I forgot, Edward did tell me."

"Mija, that's in five minutes!" She exclaimed.

"But I'm ready." I frowned slightly.

"But I'm not!" She began checking her reflection in the mirror over the mantle. I laughed at her, in a teasing way. She stuck her tongue out at me, also laughing. "Do something with your hair, Adelita. Try to look like a lady."

"Si, Mama." I rolled my eyes, running back upstairs. I noticed my open door, and frowned slightly.

"You should be alarmed, if anything isn't how you left." Edward warned from behind the door. I rolled my eyes, pushing into the room. He was sitting on my bed, flipping through a Sears catalog. "You've got about ten more minutes. Rosalie can't decide what to wear." He rolled his eyes, smiling slightly.

"I should call the police on you." I said, hitting him with the gloves I had left on my dresser. He just smiled, not even looking at me. I went to the mirror and brushed my hair quickly, pulling the top part up and securing it with a ribbon. "Does this look okay?" I asked, turning back to him.

He looked up, and nodded. "I never noticed how your hair has some red in it." He tilted his head, looking at it intently. Then he stood, walking over and standing next to me in the mirror.

"Are you just trying to prove that you have a reflection?" I teased.

He scowled, and shook his head. "No. It's just similar." He shook his own hair out, and I noticed that our hair was a similar color. His looked bronze, though the red was noticeable.

"You're still a brunette." I said. "As am I." He just rolled his eyes at me.

A sudden crash caught our attention. Edward's eyes narrowed as he looked down at my floor. I froze, knowing exactly what it was. My blood ran cold, and Edward suddenly let out a snarl.

"Get out." I said stiffly. His eyes, hard and filled with fury, darted to mine. "Now. Leave."

"I can't let you put yourself in danger." He said, sounding pretty dangerous himself.

"It will only be worse if he thinks we'll put up a fight." It was the truth, though it sounded completely alien in my dead voice. "Just go."

"Adele, wait." He caught my arm as I headed towards the door.

"Don't put your family in danger." I hissed. His expression changed briefly, I knew he understood my double meaning. "Leave."

"I'll be outside." He said, slipping through the window. I squared my shoulders and headed downstairs.

"Mama?" I called, figuring I should get it all over with at once. "Que paso?"

"Girl!" He rarely used my name when he was like this. "What was that?"

"Nothing." I looked down, feeling my strength crumble. As I glanced around the living room, I found my mother, lying on the ground. I gasped, noticing a pool of blood. "What did you do?" I screamed, running forward. He caught my arm, swinging me around. I hit the ground when he let go, across the room from my mother. "What did you do to her?" I yelled, pushing myself to my knees.

"She deserved it!" He yelled, grabbing a fistful of my hair. "You'll get the same if you don't shut up!"

"You killed her!" I struggled, trying to free myself. I felt some of the hair leave my scalp as I finally managed to work my way free. I was by her side in an instant, flipping her face-up.

Her right arm was twisted at a weird angle, and a large gash ran from her jawbone to her hairline. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was steady, if shallow.

_Edward. _I thought frantically. _Get Carlisle._

I didn't hear a response, though I didn't expect one. My father was next to me suddenly, and something cold and sharp was at my ribcage.

"I won't even think twice, you brat." His voice was a low growl, and I heard the gently tear of fabric. The skin underneath stung, though I ignored it, my thoughts with Edward, rushing him. "I don't need you for anything. I could cut you now, and have one less trouble in the world."

"Do it." I wasn't sure when I had started crying, but the tears ran thick now. "Please, just do it now."

He was silent. He didn't know what to say. I was supposed to me begging for my life, not for death.

"You can't." I said. The blade bit deeper, but I didn't flinch, didn't cry out. "You're too chicken. Too chicken to off a little girl."

"I can't." He was coming full circle now. The rage was subsiding, instead being replaced with the depression that followed. "I can't do it. She was so little, once. My little girl." He was talking about me. He sometimes forgot who his victims were. "I'm so bad." He said. I was silent, waiting for his next move. He dropped the knife, lumbering to his feet. "I'm a bad man." He moaned, heading towards the back door. I stayed frozen, waiting until the door closed and his car was pulling away. I was arranging myself, building the perfect, steel inner core that was my primary defense mechanism.

My street was silent for a few minutes, tops. I barely had time to bleach the knife before I heard the door open.

"Adele." Edward's voice was strained, and suddenly he was in the room with me. "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of the evidence." I said calmly. I was still bleeding, the bright new dress ruined now. "You're quite fast."

"You're insane." He murmured, pulling the blade from my hands. He set it in the kitchen sink, his eyes running over me, checking for injuries. He was so much taller than me, he had to kneel to see the cut just below my ribcage. "That's going to need stitches." He muttered, keeping his gaze on the cut itself rather than the deep red stain.

"Not that I would prefer this, but how are you not killing me?" I asked. He sighed, pressing a white gauze pad to my skin.

"You're blood is weird." He shrugged. "It's not appetizing. That's why I'm here. Carlisle is with your mother."

"Good." I sighed. "She's pretty bad."

"Why do keep doing this, Adele." His voice was pleading, his eyes still on the white square. "It won't end well."

"What has Alice seen?" His tone of voice had been too confident.

"You'll both be dead within the year." His voice was soft, filled with a shared pain. My breathing became labored. "There's only one way to change it. Please, Adele."

"No." My voice was cold, detached. I took a step back, breaking the contact between us. I squared my shoulders and walked into the living room.

Carlisle was leaning over her, his hands moving in a blur. As I entered, he stood, his bright eyes filled with concern.

"She needs to go to the hospital." He said.

"She'll be fine, right?" I asked. My steel core was wavering.

He heard the note of panic in my voice, his face falling. "Maybe." He said.

"No." My pitch rose, and I started shaking. "She has to be okay. She has to."

In the next instant, my face was buried in his chest, my tears warm on my cheeks. "It will be fine." His voice was a low murmur, and I could feel the vibration through his chest. "Calm down, Adele. It will all be fine."

I heard sirens, and vaguely wondered who had called the ambulance. I couldn't stop the flow of tears or words, and couldn't make sense of them either. "She can't die, she can't. It's not supposed to go like this. No se supone para ser como esto. Mama, no muere. Te necesito. No muera. I won't let him hurt you again. No lo dejaré lastimarle. Mama, please wake up. ¡Despierte!"

"Adele, come with me." Carlisle voice was soft, his strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me towards the door. I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. He steered me right into the cab of the ambulance. He set me down on the seat, his eyes inspecting the cut that I had forgotten about. He bit his bottom lip, his fingers brushing lightly against the skin. "Stay here." He felt me stiffen at the thought of being alone. "I will be right back." His hand squeezed mine gently, then he was gone.

It was dark now. It couldn't be five o'clock yet. It looked so much darker from inside the ambulance. Maybe I just thought it was darker. It didn't try to think too much. Instead, my mind wandered to the Cullen's Thanksgiving, and how that was ruined. I sighed, thinking that I was quite good at ruining things. Hopefully tomorrow's performance was still safe, and this stupid cut wouldn't affect my dancing.

Carlisle was suddenly next to me again, Edward a half step behind him. "We're going to the hospital now." He said. "Edward will be with you the whole time." I tried to smile, but settled on a nod. Edward climbed in next to me, and though I couldn't tell there was a driver on the other side, we pulled away from the curb as soon as the door was closed.

--- --- ---

I don't remember fainting, but it sounds like something I would do. When I came to, I was in a clean white hospital room, a curtain creating a completely empty space, occupied by me and a bed and a few machines. None of the machines were on or attached to me in any way. I considered it a good sign. I tried to sit up, but my head spun. I set myself back down, staring at the ceiling, my hands resting on my stomach, playing with my charm bracelet.

"I didn't hear you wake up." Rosalie's voice startled me. I hadn't seen her, and the slight flutter from the curtain told me she had been behind it.

"I just did." My voice was hoarse, but working. She sat down next to me, her blond hair spilling over her shoulder. Her gaze was intense, trying to get me to explain myself. I shrugged, and continued playing with my bracelet. It was silent, until I asked her something that had been bothering me for a while.

"Was it worth it?" She looked at me curiously. "Killing him. All of them. Was it worth it?" I had heard her story, in all the gory details. She had wanted to tell me, and I had wanted to hear. Though after, I thought she regretted it. I knew she did right then.

"Not really." She shrugged, though there was nothing casual in the gesture. "It felt good at the time. I could say I was protecting other women from going through what I did. But really, I guess it wasn't. Even if revenge is sweet, it fades fast. And it doesn't erase what he did." She had found my train of thought, and was suddenly stern. "He's too strong for you, Adele. If you want revenge, you should work through the system. He could easily get convicted and sent to prison. You shouldn't take this into your own hands."

"I know." I sounded weak next to her. "I don't intend to. I was just wondering if it would be worth it." I twirled my bracelet. "It's not. Even if I could. He's too strong."

"Talk about something else." She said, touching the silver gently. "I hadn't realized you had a charm bracelet."

"Mama doesn't like me wearing it to school." I explained. "She says it's too delicate. Kind of like me."

She ignored the last comment, lifting up one of the charms. "A toy soldier?" She asked, inspecting.

"Yes." I nodded. "My first Nutcracker performance. I was the best toy soldier there was."

She smiled gently, moving on. "And the scissors?"

"I wanted to be hairdresser when I was younger." I shrugged. "I should take it off now. That's not what I want to do now."

Her head whipped up before I had caught the sound of footsteps. I followed her gaze, Carlisle coming through the white curtains not a moment after.

"Ah, you're awake." He seemed genuinely pleased, his eyes suddenly brighter than they had been. "How is she, Rose?"

"Sane." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "She was a little dizzy the first time she tried to sit up. No permanent damage. It looks like just the cut."

"Good." He helped me sit up, and I kept my head this time. His cold fingers ran through my hair, gently probing my scalp. He checked my vitals, and when I proved myself healthy, he smiled. "Perfect. You will be fine by tomorrow morning, Adele."

I brightened up instantly. "So I'm good for performances?"

"Just don't stretch too high." He warned. "Those stitches need to hold up."

I felt along my torso, and the ridge of neat sutures stuck out like barbed wire. I scowled. "It's going to show through the dewdrop costume."

"You'll be fine." Rosalie rolled her eyes, though there was a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"I think you should keep this with you." Carlisle dropped something cool and hard into my hands. I opened my fist, revealing my mother's charm bracelet. I felt the color leave my face instantly.

"What happened?" I asked breathlessly.

"She's fine." Carlisle answered quickly. "It's just not advisable that she keep that on. Her arm was broken in three places, and she suffered a concussion. I want to keep her overnight, at least. She's lucky to still be alive. She could have lost too much blood from that cut."

I processed the information, turning her bracelet over in my hands. I looked up suddenly, my eyes filled with tears. "Thank you."

He blinked once, then his hand were cupping my face. He pressed his lips gently against my forehead for a brief moment, then pulled away. "You are more than welcome." He hesitated for a second, then asked. "Who is Mija?"

"I am." The answer was instantaneous. He raised an eyebrow. "It's Spanish for 'my daughter'. It's a term of endearment. That's what Mama calls me."

"She's been asking for you in her sleep." He said, more to himself than me or Rosalie. His attention was back on me in an instant "You are free to leave, Adele. I would prefer that you did not return to your home." I nodded, not sure I could have faced my own home. "Rosalie will bring you to our home."

"Thank you." I said again. He smiled, and disappeared behind the curtain.

"He loves you already." Rosalie's voice was quiet, her eyes on the spot where Carlisle had been. "It seems so natural, though. Like you truly were his daughter." She shook her head against a stray thought, smiling at me. "Alice brought you over a change of clothes. Not yours, but that's Alice for you." She motioned to the chair on the other side of my bed. "I'll be just outside the curtain."

"Thanks, Rose." She was gone in an instant, though the click of her heels as she paced continued. I changed quickly into the casual blue seersucker dress, pulling the wool coat on as well. Rosalie smiled when I came out, and walked me to through the quiet hospital. When we reached the cold nighttime air, a car pulled forward instantly. I slid into the back, Alice already waiting for me. Rosalie got in the front, next to Jasper, who was driving. They talked in fast, hushed tones as I started to drift off. Alice saw me yawn, and sighed.

"She'll need to sleep, won't she?" She sounded slightly disappointed. "I forget the human things sometimes."

"Good thing Esme likes to keep up appearances." Jasper said, looking at me in the rear view mirror. "She can stay in our room."

"Will you be able to handle that?" Alice asked quietly.

"Yes." He nodded, perfectly confident. "Her smell doesn't bother me at all. She doesn't smell edible in the slightest."

"That's good." I murmured. "I don't like causing too much trouble."

"Yes, she much prefers small bouts of trouble." Rose said, the sarcasm drowned with her playfulness. The four of us laughed, and I soon found myself blissfully asleep.


	10. Performance

**Hey everyone. So chapter nine is up, and I there are three more chapters, plus the epilogue, and then we are done!! I'm a little sad, but also feeling quite accomplished, as this will be the first story I ever finish. **

**So I have a few questions for you all. Firstly, are you even interested in a sequel at the moment?? It would be set a little before Bella arrives in Forks, and carry through the four books, but probably wouldn't follow them a whole lot. Then my next question would be should Adele find her mate then, and if so, who should it be?? The latter part can be answered in the poll on my profile, but you could also tell me in a review. And is there anything you absolutely must have in this sequel?? I can already say that a lot gets answered in the sequel that will not be explained fully by the end of this story. So let me know what you are thinking, because it tends to keep me from getting too wrapped up in my own thoughts. **

**And my usual shot-outs to Scampifish and sleepthroughthestatic for their awesome reviews!!! I feel so awesome after reading them!!**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Performance

I woke up the next morning to the most delicious smell. I wasn't sure where I was, but I didn't really care. My stomach growled in outrage, but I paused to take in the room.

It was neat, though it clearly belonged to people. There seemed to be two of everything, thought there was one giant bed that I was currently occupying. The twin closet doors were against the far wall, with a massive bookshelf taking one whole wall to the left. Everything was either dark wood or a shade of gray. It could have been plain, but looked stunning.

There was a low knock on the door. It opened slowly, and Alice peeked in. She smiled when she saw I was sitting up.

"I thought I heard your stomach." She said. She went to one of closets, riffling through the contents. "I got a few things in your size. You are almost impossible to shop for, you know."

"So I've heard." I laughed, thinking of my own shopping trips, in which my mother would end up having to hem or take it in.

"This should work, though." Alice handed me a plain black swing skirt and blue blouse. "Breakfast is almost ready. We'll make sure you get to the auditorium in time for your performance."

"I almost forgot!" I jumped up, surprised at myself. "Oh, thank you for remember that, Alice."

"Your welcome." She smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder when I stumbled slightly. "The bathroom is through here." She showed me a door I hadn't noticed. "I'll be downstairs, okay?" I nodded, and she left.

I took a quick shower, inspecting the stitches carefully. Carlisle knew what he was doing, that was for sure. I stretched, stopping when I felt the tug. I should still be able to dance.

When I finally got downstairs, the scent had only intensified. I had barely entered the kitchen when a plate was set down at the head seat, a glass of orange juice next to it. Jasper pulled out the chair for me, smiling as I sat down. I dug in without a second thought, not caring that every Cullen besides Carlisle was there, watching me.

"She's like Emmett when he hunts." Alice observed. "She just dives in, doesn't she?"

"Alice, don't be mean." Esme warned lightly. "She hasn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. It's almost 11 now."

"I told her last night, I forget how human she is." Alice cocked he head to the side, watching me. "She's so...odd, really."

"Alice, if you can't be nice to her, I'll make you leave." Esme was more and more appalled at Alice.

"It's okay." I smiled, then downed the orange juice. "Alice isn't being mean."

"She's going easy on her, if you ask me." Emmett said.

"No one asked you." I responded quickly, shoveling down some eggs.

There was laughter, though Emmett's boom was absent. I saw him pouting slightly.

"She's quick, on top of everything else." Rosalie smiled at me, then kissed Emmett on the cheek.

"I'm human, not stupid." I pouted for a moment, then crammed more food into my mouth.

I learned that Emmett had broken into my house last night, stealing a bunch of things from a list that Esme had drawn up for him. It included my toothbrush, my dance bag with my own make-up inside, though no clothing. Alice had promised to take care of that. After I finished inhaling my food, I grabbed the dance bag, thanked Emmett, and changed into my pointe shoes. I practiced on the wood floor in the Cullen's dining room, running through both my routines twice. My stitches didn't budge, and by the time I stopped, I was pouring sweat.

"Adele?" Esme was calling my name, and I turned quickly. She was in the doorway, smiling at me. "Carlisle just arrived home, and would like to speak to you."

"Sure." I padded gently across the room, the leather soles of shoes making little noise. She led me down the hallway, to the very last door before we were in the back yard. She knocked then entered, her cool hand in mine.

"Carlisle." He turned, his eyes landing on me. I returned his bright smile, Esme leading me to one of the chairs opposite the huge mahogany desk. Carlisle leaned against the desk, just a few feet away from me.

"How is she?" I asked. His smile faltered for a second, and I gasped in horror.

"Don't worry." He said, noticing my reaction. "She's fine. She's as well as I would hope for, but she is improving. It's just a slower process for her. Her body has already taken a beating." He smiled ruefully. "She keeps asking for you. When she's conscious and in her sleep. She's asking for her Adelita."

I smiled against my will. "Is she humming?"

"Yes." He was curious now. "What is the song?"

"La Adelita." I sang a few lines, the song forever ingrained in my head. "_Y si Adelita quisiera ser mi novia; y si Adelita fuera mi mujer; le compraría un vestido de seda; para llevarla a bailar al cuartel." _He looked confused for a moment, so I explained. "The song is about a woman soldier in the Mexican Revolution. She fights and takes care of the men. She's very desirable, but she puts her duties first. She's brave and loyal, and beautiful. My mother always sang me that song."

"It makes sense then." He nodded to himself. "She keeps mentioning how brave her Adelita is." His eyes suddenly grew sad as he watched me. "Adele, I need to talk to you."

I laughed slightly. "Really? I assumed we were having afternoon tea."

He shook his head, chuckling. "You have been spending too much time with Emmett." He suddenly grew somber though, and I was perplexed. "I need to explain some things about vampire nature first." I nodded, curling my legs underneath me, preparing for a story. "When the transformation happens, it freezes the body in a very literal sense. No changes happen after that. You don't grow anymore, your body stops producing anything except venom. You're stuck." I nodded. I had known that already, even if it hadn't been pointed out. "It happens on more than just a physical level, that sort of freeze. It takes a lot to change the emotional and mental make-up of a vampire. There are few things that can do that. Finding a mate tends to change the person for the better. On the opposite end of the spectrum, losing a mate can have a devastating effect."

He paused for a moment, his eyes searching my face. Suddenly, he changed topics. "There are not many covens like ours." He said. "We're large, for one. Our diet is also abnormal, and affects more than our eye color." He suddenly had his hand in mine, leaning closer to me. "We're also civilized in a way that other covens are not. We love each other as a family. They truly are my children. That connection, one of a true family, is one of those that can change a vampire. I have found that it happens every time a new member is added. This family adapts, finds a place for the newcomer, and truly welcomes him or her."

He moved his hand to my hair, playing with the ends. "I tell you all this, Adele, because I want you to truly understand the connection we now have with you. You are part of the family now. You have come and changed us all. Some more drastically than others, but we all feel your presence." He sighed, his eyes locking on mine. I could feel tears starting before he even spoke. "You are my daughter. You are a very vital part of my family now. I am not the only one who believes this. The others simply elected me to tell you this. But we all love you, Adele. More than you realize. Everything we do now is out of love for you." The tears were flowing freely now, and I was shaking slightly. "What's wrong?" His tone was different, worried.

"I don't..." My voice was fading in and out, choked with sobs. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to have a family as extraordinary as yours. I've never had a father. "

"I know." I was suddenly locked into his strong, cold gasp, my sobs being muffled by his chest. _"_Adele, please listen to me. You do deserve a family. You deserve one, and you have one. We will do everything we can to protect you."

"But I'm not one of you." I pushed away in time to see a dark look pass across his face. "And you don't want me to be a vampire."

"I will not take your life while it is still so full and healthy." He said, his voice steel. "That does not mean you are not part of this family."

"I'm not worth it." I murmured, my head falling to his shoulder. "I'm damaged goods. I can't even be sold secondhand. I'm so bad, thrift stores wouldn't take me." I was uttering nonsense, but Carlisle still nodded, at least pretending to understand.

"That's not true." He said, his hands stroking my hair. "You are the purest human spirit I have ever met. There is nothing damaged about you except for your body, and you work through even that." He paused, looking sheepish now. "I must admit, I took a peak through your medical records." I flinched, knowing that they read worse than that of a professional boxer's. "They were terrible. I don't know how you can still walk. You're leg shouldn't even be straight after that many breaks. You are a walking war zone, and yet you perform not only the required daily activity, but you dance beautifully. I don't understand that. But you are certainly not damaged goods." His tone was firm, and I knew instinctively that he would not hear another word on the subject. I sighed, and he held me tighter for a moment before letting go. Our eyes locked for a moment, then we were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Carlisle called. Alice entered, her coat on and my dance bag in her hand.

"Adele needs to leave now if she is to make her performance." She held out my coat and shoes.

"Thanks, Alice." I sighed, sitting down again and untying my pointe shoes. Carlisle nodded, his hand on my shoulder for a moment.

"We'll be there tonight." He said. He caught my inquisitive gaze, and smiled. "All of us, Adelita." The nickname flowed off his tongue perfectly, and I smiled.

--- --- ---

I was a bundle of nervous energy backstage. I hopped from foot to foot, ran through the routines by myself, and drove Jamie up a wall. He was patient with me, though, whispering jokes in my ear and trying his best to distract me. During intermission, we snuck out to the lobby, in two long trench coats, and got the girl working the concession stand to give us free food. By the time we snuck backstage, we were laughing loud enough for the audience to hear us.

"So, Adele, where are your parents sitting?" He asked, breaking one of the cookies in half. We were eating in our basic leotards, which would still be considered our costume should someone catch us.

"They're not here tonight." I admitted. He looked up, shocked. My parents were always at opening night shows. "My mom fell down the stairs last night." I lied. "And my dad had some business meeting."

"Oh." He was watching my expression carefully. I shrugged, biting into the cookie. Suddenly, he seemed to change. He scooted closer to me, his eyes checking over our shoulders. I knew that everyone else was busy preparing for the second act. When he was satisfied, he cleared his throat, looking down suddenly. I giggled when I saw he was blushing.

"Jamie, what's going on?" I asked. He swallowed hard, then looked up.

"I don't know how to do this." He admitted. He looked down again, then back up. "Adele...would you like to go to the movies some time?" He said it all in one breath, looking nervous.

"With you?" I asked, stunned. He was asking me out, right? He nodded. "On a date?"

"It doesn't have to be." He shrugged, though I knew that he wanted it to be a date. "I mean, we can go, just as friends."

"No." I said suddenly, his face fell. "I mean, no to the friends thing. I mean yes. I mean..." I paused, trying to collect my thoughts. "Yes, I would like to go on a date with you, Jamie."

"Really?" His blue eyes sparkled as he grinned. I nodded. "That's great! How about next Sunday? After the show?"

"Sounds great." I couldn't stop smiling. He couldn't either.

"Good." We had run out of things to say suddenly, and it was almost a relief to have our stage manager find us and yell at us about eating backstage. We both went our separate ways to change for Act II, smiling the whole time.

When we meet back up for the Tea Dance, we had both calmed down a bit. My nerves had returned, and I was bouncing up and down. The music started before I was ready, but my body reacted instinctively. I leapt out after Jamie, and from then on I didn't have to think. I could hear the audience, with all their little noises. I could feel their energy, and I absorbed it. Every movement was larger for them, every turn more precise. My nerves had vanished, and were now replaced with complete joy. By the time we reached the ending pose, my fake smile was real, and the applause made me feel ready to burst. Jamie led me off stage, neither of us really wishing to go.

We both screamed silently, hugging each other as soon as we were off. I didn't have a whole lot of time to spare. I was suddenly attacked by Cindy, who had my Dew Drop costume ready. Jamie pinned the tiara in my hair as I stripped off the Chinese dress. Cindy pulled the electric blue costume on. She zipped up the back, the blue silk of the bodice tight against me. She also snapped the skirt into place. As soon as they were done I did a quick twirl, watching the fabric of the skirt. It flared out, then instantly settled back down, reaching mid thigh. I smiled, fighting against the nerves again. The other flowers gathered around me, their long pink tutus making swishing noises. We wished each other luck, each of us dealing with out nerves different. Suddenly it was time.

They moved out first, the crowd gasping slightly. I waited for my little bit of music, and entered among the swirl of skirts, to my place at center. There was a rest, then the music started. I led, center and ahead a little, as we performed. Though I kept my eyes straight ahead, I thought I saw a row of pale silhouettes to my right.

In what felt like a moment, the stage was empty for my solo. I didn't break face at all, though the emotion in the pit of my stomach grew. I was alone. It was just me and the audience, and I was set to prove what I had. I danced better than I ever had before. My feet were sure, my arms stretched as high as they would go. I jumped higher than I ever had, and heard gasps in all the right places. The applause surprised me in some spots, but I soaked it up the whole time. I was right were I as supposed to be, doing the only thing that made me truly happy.

The flowers came back, and we continued, moving gracefully around the stage and each other. The music was suddenly more intense, and we danced to fit that. I could feel the end approaching, and threw myself into every step. My turns, all right in row, were perfect. I saw the girls go into their ending poses, felt the music end, and still, I wanted to dance. I was center stage, the flowers around me, and I was beaming.

We were rushed off, all making silent squeals of delight. We had done it, and perfectly. The applause didn't end until the music for the pas de deux started. Cindy was beaming as she handed me my Chinese dress again. I slipped it on over my Dew Drop costume, finding Jamie. He hugged me again, avoiding my hair and the spiky tiara. We waited backstage, this time our cue taking longer. We were almost done, and more than ready to go see our families.

Finally, the closing waltz started. Our Sugar Plum ran backstage, stopped for a split second, than ran back on stage. She did her bit first, then the Spanish and Russian went out, then the Arabian, and then it was us.

Jamie and I ran out hand in hand, doing our quick bit side by side. Then, as planned, I quickly undid the front closures on the Chinese dress, and Jamie pulled it off, revealing the Dew Drop costume. He backed off as the flowers came forward, and we performed our part of the waltz. There was flush of music, and the entire company joined us. In one swift move we moved slightly right, Sugar Plum taking center. We slowly moved back, giving the sleigh enough room to come out. The director of the auditorium, dressed as Father Christmas, lead the sleigh, that was pulled by at least twenty 3-5 year olds dressed as reindeer. We all smiled a little brighter at the collective "Awww" from the audience. The Prince lifted Clara into the sleigh, and Father Christmas led them out. We all waved cheerfully over the final notes of music. The curtain closed, and the applause followed us backstage.

Finally, we were allowed to cheer. Everyone was yelling now, congratulating each other. There were hugs abound, and cries from our stage manager to be careful of the costumes. I rushed to change, talking to Cindy the whole time. The euphoria was palpable.

I had changed back into street clothes, hung up my costumes, and washed most of the stage make-up off. Cindy and Jamie had done the same, and the three of us now braved the crowds in the lobby, where family was supposed to wait for their dancers. Cindy found her family instantly, and their screaming followed me clean across to the other side. I knew not to expect my father to be present, so I didn't bother looking for him. The family I was expecting couldn't be found, though.

Jamie found his parents, and they congratulated me as well. I smiled, still searching over their shoulders. As I was talking to Jamie's mother, I heard my name.

"Adele!" I barely had time to turn around before something small was hugging me tightly around the middle. I caught sight of Alice's dark hair before she was replaced by someone much bigger.

"Emmett!" I yelled as he picked me up in his bear hug. He laughed, setting me down. Rosalie showed up next, laughing at her husband. She gave me a moment to breathe, than wrapped her arms gently around my shoulders.

"You were great." She muttered. I smiled at her, then went to hug Jasper. He was definitely uncomfortable among so many people, but he tried to hide it.

"You should probably leave." I whispered. He shook his head.

"So long as I keep my focus on you, they kind of become background noise." He shrugged. "I made it this long. I should be able to handle it."

"Thank you." I said. He smiled, and hugged me tighter for a moment. Then I was with Esme, and she was beaming.

"You are so beautiful up there." She looked close to tears, though I knew that wasn't possible. Edward hugged me, then looked at Esme.

"That's a good idea." He smiled at her, then at me. I raised an eyebrow, but he shook his head, laughing. I pushed him away playfully.

Then Carlisle was there. I latched on to him, not caring that I was freezing by that point. He held me close for a moment, then let me, go, his eyes sparkling. We didn't need words. I could tell he was proud of me.


	11. Life

**Hola! So updates are happening quicker now that the end is finished, mostly because I'm so darn excited I've finished something for a change. Still though, I love reviews, and since I'm home with the flu, they make me feel ten times better. **

**So while I've gotten some really awesome feedback about the possible sequel, I can always use more. I have the first two-ish chapters written, but it really isn't leading into the plot so much. The poll is still up as well, although right now there is a clear favorite. **

**Thanks goes out to Scampifish, sleepthroughthestatic, Meikajo, and Navalia for the awesome reviews!!  
**

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Chapter Ten: Life

Carlisle took me to see my mother that night. I had returned to the Cullen house long enough to shower off the make up and hairspray, and then we were heading to the hospital.

Although they had all offered to go with me, I decided to make this trip alone. I knew what I had to talk to her about, and being alone would hopefully make it easier.

"She's doing much better, Adele." Carlisle's voice was worried as we walked through the hallways of the hospital. "It doesn't look pleasant, but she is healing quickly. Apparently you inherited that ability from her." I nodded. I couldn't speak, not quite. We stopped outside a door, just as blank as the rest of them. He opened it, allowing me in.

He had been right to warn me. She looked a hot mess. Her dark hair was matted behind her head, her right arm incased in plaster to the shoulder. She was hooked up to every machine in the room, though they all seemed to reading normal. She was asleep, though she was still moving, tossing slightly. Suddenly she called for me.

"Mija, venido aquí." I stepped forward, listening to her command.

"Si, Mama." Her eyes snapped open, her hands reaching to my loose, wet hair.

"Your show was today." She was sad as she said it, her hand running through my hair. "I'm sorry, mija. I didn't mean to miss it."

"It's okay, Mama." I assured her softly. "The Cullens came. I danced wonderfully."

"You always do." She was tired, I could tell. I swallowed hard, and set my resolve.

"Mama, we need to talk." I took a deep breath. "You need to leave him."

"Mija, not now." She closed her eyes wearily.

"Look what he's done to you!" I exclaimed. "You're broken. You're so broken you can't fight back. That's not fair. It's not right. That's not how a family should work. Mama, I love you. But I cannot pretend to love him anymore. He's terrible, he doesn't care about us. We're just his toys now, his amusement. He'll kill us, Mama." My voice cold as I said that. "He will kill us, without even feeling sorry for it."

"He wouldn't." She shook her head.

"He's tried." I motioned to her, lying in her cold, sterile bed. "He would have killed you then. He would have. Mama, please, listen to me."

"No, mija." Her voice was weak. "He's still my husband."

"He hasn't been home!" I yelled. "He beat us, then left. He does it all the time. He only comes home so no one will know what he's doing!" I sighed, desperate for her to understand. "He's not a good man. He doesn't deserve us."

"We don't always deserve everything we are given." She said. "Remember grace, mija."

"No, Mama! Grace isn't the same as this!" I repeated Carlisle's words from this morning. "We deserve a family! We're not damaged goods. We deserve to be loved."

"I love you, mija." She said. "But we must love him. That's all he needs."

"He needs to be put away, and you know it!" I was in tears, fighting against my mother's calm. "Mama, please. Just see reason."

"Adele, please." She waved a hand dismissively. "I'm tired. I will not have this discussion with you." She sighed, and in a moment she was asleep. I stared at her, anger, frustration, and sadness building inside me. I kicked the tiled floor with all my might, turning on my heels and running from the room.

Carlisle was waiting for me, leaning against the wall opposite the door. I sat down next to him, my knees pulled to my chest. I was angry, more than anything else. I glared at a spot on the floor, wishing the anger would just leave. I knew Carlisle was watching me, but I didn't care. I continued to glare, continued to hate the man who was responsible for the entire situation.

"It would have been better if she had never met him." I growled. He sighed.

"Then you wouldn't exist."

"Exactly." I muttered. "She would be safe, maybe marry someone decent, and had some good kids then. Now she's stuck in this hell of a marriage, with me helpless to get her out."

"Adele." He sighed, lowering himself into a crouch next to me. "You're trying. That is all you can do. Don't worry any more. We'll keep her safe."

"It's not going to work, though." I sighed. "Alice said that unless his path changes, we'll be gone in two months."

"Alice can be wrong." He reminded me.

"But it's his path in question, not yours. Not mine." I shook my head, my hair forming a curtain around my face. "He won't change. He'll kill us."

"We won't let him." He assured me. As much faith as I had in Carlisle, I couldn't help but know he was wrong.

--- --- ---

There was no sign of my father during the weekend. I was relieved, glad for any distance between him and my mother.

We had two shows on Saturday, and one on Sunday. I always had bodyguards, as I started calling them, take me to and from the performances. The shows went well, though we never seemed to reach the peak that had been opening night. Still, we had mini-celebrations each night as we changed and got ready to go home.

I hadn't told anyone about my date with Jamie, though I wasn't trying to hide it. The topic just never came up. At least, not until Sunday night.

Jamie and I walked into the crisp evening air after our Sunday matinee. We said goodbye, and he kissed me gently on the cheek. I blushed, waving goodbye as we took off down opposite ends of the street. Emmett and Edward were waiting for me on the corner, and I was still blushing as I approached them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Edward demanded. He looked put out, his arm around my shoulders as soon as I got close enough.

"What are you talking about?" I raised an eyebrow, and he just shook his head.

"You have a date next week?" Emmett's head snapped around as Edward spoke.

"A date?" He asked. "With a boy?" Edward and I both nodded. "This is unacceptable." He shook his head, looking angry.

"What do you mean, unacceptable?" I looked at him for a long moment. "It's just a date. We're going to the movies."

"As your big brother, I should have known before you did." He explained. "And I need to approve."

"Bullshit you need to approve!" I yelled. Edward shushed me, but I ignored him. "You don't even know him. And I don't care if you are my brother, to the outside world you are the weird new kid, and you would probably scare him off."

"I'm not weird." Emmett protested. "We still need to meet him."

"What about my biological family?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Not my concern."

"You're not meeting him." I said. "I don't need you scaring away boys."

"It's not my fault my very presence is intimidating." Emmett seemed please with himself.

"Okay, so maybe we should keep Emmett away." Edward agreed with me. "But at least let me meet him."

"Like you haven't already been in his head." I rolled my eyes at him. He smiled.

"Only a little." He assured me. We were home by then. Emmett held the door open for me, letting it fall into Edward's face. Alice was already cooking. I sighed, sure that when I finally moved back into my own home I would miss the constant service.

"Who says you're ever leaving?" Edward asked. I thought he was joking, but the look on his face told me he wasn't.

"I have to go back eventually." I said. He just shook his head.

--- --- ---

I didn't go back to that house.

My father returned, but not for long. He was in another rage when he came back, and made quick work of the house. It was reported as a bunch of teens, just goofing off, torching the house. Alice told me otherwise.

My home was gone. I had grown up in that house. There was so much of my life there, and now, it was taken from me.

Edward became my own personal bodyguard after that. He waited for me to snap, knowing that I couldn't keep revenge from my mind. I didn't, though. I kept thinking of Rosalie, and what she had told me that first night. I wasn't strong enough, physically or emotionally.

I had cried myself out within a few days. Mama was devastated, and we sat together in her room, sobbing. I missed a week of school, and Carlisle wrote me a doctor's note, excusing me. Even he had to admit that I was spent.

When Mama was released to the hospital, we moved into the Cullen's house. She spent at least three hours fighting it, explaining that we had relatives; we could find our own way. Carlisle was not convinced. He argued every point he could, but gently, persuasively, until my mother couldn't remember her own arguments. His family had more than enough room, and she was on shaky ground for her recovery. It would be easier if he could treat her from home.

And so we moved. Not that we had anything to move. It was mostly just finding our spot in the Cullen household. My mom and I were in rooms next to each other, mine technically Edward's round tower room, hers formerly a storage room. I had watched the boys move out the boxes, and though I questioned what was in all of them, I rarely got any answers. They did let me help decorate, though Alice was in charge in a major way. Edward laughed whenever I tried to plot revenge, reminding me that my attempts were fruitless.

"I don't care if she knows its coming, it still makes me feel better." I said as we added a new coat of paint to the walls. He shook his brush, flicking some of the paint at me. I pouted, and he shook his head. His hand touched mine for a moment, and the jolt of electricity was not a sign of attraction, but the beginning of a private conversation.

_So this Jamie. You really like him, don't you?_

_Of course. I've known him for ages. _

_But how much do you like him?_

_A lot. _He caught the many meanings. _I don't want to screw this up, Edward. _

_I don't think you will. _He sounded confident. _He likes you too. He's very nervous about your date. You are too. _

_I wish I wasn't. _I shrugged. _I don't really date guys I like._

_Who do you date? _He may have been a senior citizen, but Edward knew nothing about dating. It didn't exactly exist when he was first a teenager.

_Whoever asks me out. I've gone out with a couple of guys at school. They were nice, but kind of immature. It never lasted long. _

_You think this one will last long?_

_I hope so. _I sighed. Edward caught my thoughts, his eyes flashing to me sharply.

_Really? You love him?_

_I think I might. _ I could feel myself smiling. _He just makes me feel so…wonderful. Everything is easy with him, you know? I can just…breathe when I'm with him. _

Edward sighed, sitting next to me. We both stared at the finished wall, letting our minds wander. The open window was letting in the cool winter air that was already flowing in.

_I hope it works for you. _He thought, slipping an arm around my shoulder. _You deserve to have someone special. _

--- --- ---

Performances seemed to pass in a flash. Our last show made everyone cry. I tried not to, but my tears had returned from earlier in the week. Somehow, I knew that was my last show ever.

Sunday night, after everyone else had left, Cindy was helping me get ready for my date. She couldn't stop giggling, and I started shaking. Finally I passed her inspection, and she took my dance bag along with hers.

"Good luck." She whispered before pushing me out the door.

Jamie was waiting on the street corner, looking crisp and clean for a boy I had just gotten off stage with. He smiled as I approached, and I felt my heart flutter. I had to remind myself that he couldn't hear it, returning the gesture automatically. He slipped his hand in mine, and I thought I was about to have a heart attack. Without a word, we headed down the street towards the cinema.

The conversation started effortlessly, and didn't stop until the lights went out. His arm was around my shoulders, but it wasn't like with Edward or Emmett. They were both protecting me, while Jamie was just wishing I was closer. I found his free hand, and felt him smile.

By the time the movie was done, I couldn't remember what it was about. There was a girl, and most likely a guy. I knew I wouldn't forget the feeling of being so close to him, though.

He walked me home, our conversation resuming. He made me laugh so many times, my sides hurt as we turned down the Cullens' street. We reached the door step quickly, and I felt a growing apprehension at letting him go.

"I had fun." I said. Suddenly things grew awkward in the pool of light from the porch lamp. Jamie's bright eyes glanced to the window, and I saw the curtain twitch. "Sorry about that." I winced, hearing a small crash from inside the house. "The Cullens are being really nice about this, but sometimes I think Alice can't mind her own business."

"No, it's fine." He smiled, and the lamp light paled in comparison. "I had fun as well." He bit his lip for a moment, unsure of what to do next. I wasn't paying attention, my gaze caught by a pale white hand on the ground inside the bush. "Adele." My eyes snapped back to him, and I couldn't help but smile at the way his hair glowed golden. "I really like you, and I was hoping…maybe you would come with me to the winter formal?"

My jaw dropped, though I recovered quickly. "Of course." I laughed slightly, my voice catching. "I'd love to."

"Really?" He seemed surprised at first, but then his hands gripped mine tightly. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." I knew I was blushing, but I couldn't help myself. My blush only increased when he leaned forward, his soft lips gently touching my cheek. He hesitated, then pulled away. "Wait." He hadn't moved, but I didn't want him to. I took a half step closer, my hands still in his, and kissed him on the lips.

His reaction was instantaneous. His hands were at my waist, pulling me closer. My arms slowly wrapped around his neck as the shock wore off. The kiss didn't last long, but it still sweet. He let go, breathing deeply.

"I should go." He said, his voice a little husky. I nodded gently, biting my lip. He smiled, kissed my cheek again, and released me. I opened the door, glancing back to wave to him, and closed the door behind me.

The entire Cullen family, save for Alice, was standing in the entrance hall, waiting for me. My mother was leaning against the door frame to the kitchen, a strange smile on her face, a wooden spoon in her hand. As I caught my breath, Alice slipped in through an open window down the hall, coming up from behind with an expectant look. I stayed silent, closing my eyes and leaning against the door.

"Is she okay?" Emmett asked.

"She's more than okay." Jasper said.

"How was it?" Alice asked.

"She's in a slight state of shock." Edward commented lightly, though I could hear his amusement.

"How was it?" Alice demanded.

"She's blushing." Carlisle commented.

"Mija, say something." My mother was also amused.

"HOW WAS IT?!?!" Alice was bouncing up and down when I opened my eyes, smirking at her.

"Alice, don't be rude." Esme scolded gently, her eyes never leaving my face. "Adele, dear, did you have fun?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes. I did."

"Adele." Alice walked over, linking arms with me. "I want a play by play account, and I want it now."

"I don't remember what happened exactly." I shook my head, still smiling. Jasper looked torn between some kind of voyeuristic joy, and wanting to puke. I must have been nauseating to be around. "I just remember that…it was nice."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "What a let down." She said, before grabbing my other arm and helping Alice lead me upstairs.

--- --- ---

I couldn't sleep that night. Alice and Rosalie both agreed the story I had told was boring and insufficient, and had left me to sleep in a huff. I couldn't sleep, though. Carlisle was making me go back to school tomorrow, and I knew I would have to deal with more gossip than ever before. The rumors must be vicious by this point, but I didn't want to think of them. Still, I couldn't sleep.

I pulled myself out of bed and went downstairs. The Cullens all seemed to be in the living room, watching a completely still chess game. I raised an eyebrow to Jasper, who just shrugged.

"It's always like this when Edward and Alice play."

I sat down next to Carlisle, who had a medical magazine on his lap. He closed it, shifting so he was facing me more than he had been.

"You should be sleeping." He said, no trace of blame in his voice.

"I know." I shrugged. He understood. I turned my attention back to the game. One piece had moved, though it was clear that it was reaching the end. Alice was starting to smile as Edward's eyes darted around the board, looking for any opening. Finally, he sighed, knocking his king over. I laughed gently, settling deeper into the couch. Carlisle ran his hand through my hair absently, watching his children set up another game. I wanted to know what he was thinking about.

Edward heard the request, but shook his head. I begged, telling him I could handle it. He sighed, but touched my hand gently. Seven voices flooded my mind, and I took a moment to sort them out. I found Carlisle's easily.

_She has even more reason to stay human, now. Alice says it's unavoidable now, that every path would lead to it. It can't be. She's so strong. Stronger than any other human I've meet. And she wants to stay human. Alice has to be wrong. She has been before…hasn't she? She must have been. If not with us, then before. _I felt him glance down at me, his fingers still working through my hair. _She can't change. I won't let it happen. There must be some way to prevent it. _

"What if you can't?" My voice was small, making me sound like the child I felt like. He looked down at me, eyes filled with concern.

_We will._

"But what if you can't?" I asked again, in the same voice. "If it's that or death. Which would you give me?"

He paused, his hand never ceasing as it worked through my hair. _Life. _He finally decided. _As odd a form of life this is, it is still better than losing you forever. _

"Alice knows my mom won't make it." I knew that already. I hadn't been told, but I knew from the way they acted sometimes. They knew the clock was ticking.

_I'm so sorry, Adele. _

I nodded, my head falling against his chest. For the time being, I wouldn't think of it. I would just try to get through, day by day, until those days were up. Then, hopefully, I would become a true Cullen.


	12. Broken

**Whoo!! Finally the stupidness from this weekend is over, and now I can get the next chapter up!!! This is THE chapter, the one I was terrified to write, but I think I managed. It's heavy, so be warned.**

**As usual, thanks to sleepthroughthestatic, monkey-luver14, and meggymoomops for their reviews. And super-special thanks to Scampifish, not only for her lovely reviews that are totally awesome, but for being my sounding board on all things non-fic related. I'm totally sending you a dream-fighting version of Ninja Cat. **

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Chapter Eleven: Broken

"This would be a lot easier if you would move your feet." Emmett sighed, his hand flat against my back. I shook my head, frozen with fear. I did not want to go into that building.

"Adele, it won't be that bad." Alice assured me. "You won't even hear the worst of it."

"That's real reassuring, Alice." Rosalie rolled her eyes, grabbing my hand. It was both comforting and an iron vice with no means of escape. "Throw your hair back." I did, the reddish tint coming out with the movement. "Shoulders back. Chin up just a hair." She watched me, and smiled. "Now pretend you can't hear them."

"Easy for you to say." I mumbled, not breaking form. "You could break them."

"Do you want me to?" She asked, smirking.

"No." Edward said firmly, a few steps behind me. "Just focus on something else, Adele. You'll be fine."

I nodded, following Rosalie into the building. "I can't hear them." I chanted. "I can't hear them. I cannot hear them."

We walked into the building, and the buzzing started immediately. I focused on the sound of our feet, perfectly in synch, hitting the tiles. I sang countless songs in my head. I made songs up. I did anything to focus my attention elsewhere.

I made it through the day, though barely. The sympathetic glances were almost as bad as the gossip. I didn't want pity, I wanted things to be normal. But still, nothing was normal. Even my uniform, which I had been wearing for three and a half years, felt funny. It wasn't mine. It was new, and the fabric hadn't been broken in. It was stiff in places, the sleeves standing out when my arms were at my side. Edward could hear my discomfort through the day, and did his best to ease it. He siphoned off some of his gift that morning, and we chatted through the day, distracting me whenever he thought I was going to snap.

I lived. When the final bell rang, I was the first one in the hallway, the first to my locker. I took out my homework books without looking at them, and bolted to the door. I hadn't even seen the Cullens yet.

"You made it." Edward smiled at me as he left the building. I sighed, slipping down onto the bench. He sat down next to me, an arm around my shoulder. "You did magnificently, actually. I was sure you were going to hurt someone."

"What do you think I am, a newborn?" I scoffed. "I couldn't hurt someone if I tried."

"Probably not." He agreed. "But it's not worth the risk of finding out."

I growled at him, the noise sounding more like the purr of kitten next to him. He laughed, not stopping until the rest of the family was there.

"She's vicious, is she?" Emmett laughed as well.

"I am." I said proudly. The girls laughed as well, and I finally felt the weight of the afternoon shift off my shoulders.

We walked straight home, as I didn't have rehearsal that day. It happened like that every day once performances were over. We went through the month of December too quickly for me to notice, and soon, the usual gossip about me was replaced with a hum of Christmas gossip. Everyone was talking about who had the best tree, who was spending the most on presents, and, of course, the formal dance at the boy's school in the next town over. I already had a date, but my stomach squirmed every time I thought of it.

"Adele, relax." Alice assured me as we sat on my bed and watched it snow one Sunday morning. "I'll find you something perfect."

"That's not why I'm nervous." I admitted. "What if we run out of things to talk about?"

"You never do." Alice sighed. "I hear you all the time in your dance class. You two fit together perfectly." Suddenly she paused and I could tell she was having a vision. Her head snapped to me, and I jumped a little at the ferocious look on her face. "Why didn't you tell me your birthday was Christmas Eve?"

"I guess I just assumed you knew." I shrugged. "It's not really a big deal. We usually just celebrate Christmas and my birthday and Saint Adele's feast day all at the same time."

"No." Alice shook her head. "That's not how we're doing it. Christmas Eve is no more." She waved her hands dramatically. "And unless you really want the feast day-" I shook my head vigorously. It was something my father had made us celebrate. "Then December 24th is officially your birthday, and nothing else." She jumped up suddenly excited. "I have a party to plan now. You just sit tight and watch the snow." She ran off, and I could almost see the wheels in her head turning.

"You shouldn't have done that." Edward was at my side in an instant, taking Alice's seat. "She's going to make it into quite the event."

"She'll have fun." I shrugged, smiling. "And I won't pass up the chance to see the house decorated even further." Slowly but surely Christmas decorations had made their way into the old Victorian house. Pine garlands were wrapped around the banisters of the stairs, red ribbons adorned practically everything, and there was even the occasional bit of mistletoe hiding where you least expected it.

"You are strange, you know." He said lightly. I nodded, allowing my head to fall to his shoulder. "Very strange. I can see why so many boys are chasing you, though. There is something quite attractive about you." I sat upright again, raising an eyebrow. "I'm being serious." He nodded to himself. "Like you said once, you are delicate. Graceful. It's a very pretty kind of beauty. And then your mind? There's so much there, and you're only human!" He seemed to forget who he was talking to until he looked down and saw my blush. "I'm sorry." He said in a rush. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I'm not." I lied. He just laughed, slipping his arm around me again.

"You really are strange." He concluded. We settled back, watching the snow. I don't know how long we were like that, but then suddenly we weren't. He was on his feet, his eyes glazed over, his hands clenched into fists. I watched him nervously, having never seen this reaction from him. Suddenly his vision returned, and his eyes were cold, emotions mixing in them like a cake batter.

"Carlisle!" His voice joined Alice's as they called for their father, and it was then that the first stab of fear ran through me.

"What did she see?" I asked. He shook his head, ignoring me. I reached for his hand, but he pulled away.

"Edward?" I asked, fear and now hurt mingling in my voice.

"Go downstairs." He said as Alice ran up to the second floor. He steered me out of the room, and I stumbled. A new set of hands caught me, and I could tell by the instant clam that came over me that it was Jasper. "Keep her downstairs and act like everything is normal when Maria comes back." He said. My mother was out grocery shopping with Esme. If they were hiding something from her, it wasn't good.

"What's wrong?" I asked Jasper as he led me downstairs.

"Nothing's wrong." He said, his deep voice betraying nothing.

"You're lying." I muttered. He just shrugged, sitting me down next to Rosalie and Emmett on the sofa in the living room. The radio was on, but I couldn't hear it properly.

"It's lunch time." Jasper said. "What do you want?"

"I'm not hungry." I said. It was the truth. My appetite had disappeared the moment Edward had stood up. He nodded, and sat down next to me.

We were silent, none of us knowing what exactly was going on. My hands were shaking, despite Jasper's constant efforts to keep me calm. I strained to hear the voices above me, but the Cullens were very good about not being heard. It made me nervous, the eerie stillness of everything. I was the most mobile thing, shifting and fidgeting even more than normal out of nerves. My surrounding guard was still as statues. I couldn't help but wish I could be as still and perfect as them.

Then, suddenly I caught something. A loud bang, and the clatter of angry voices. It was a short exchange, and there was silence once again. I turned to Jasper.

"Edward lost his temper for a moment." He said quietly. I nodded, my mind still upstairs. He watched me for a moment. "You hate this." It wasn't a question. "You hate not knowing what is in your future."

"I always had everything planned." I said softly. "Now I can't have plans."

He nodded, a fresh wave of calm sweeping over me. I sighed, my head falling to his shoulder. He didn't even tense like he usually did.

"Adele." I was being called. I stood up and followed Carlisle's voice, up the stairs and to the end of the hall to his and Esme's room. Alice and Edward were on either side of him, sitting in small chairs. I could feel the tension in the room, have accidently stolen a bit of Jasper's gift, and shuddered.

"It's not good." I said. Edward shook his head. I looked at Alice, and she couldn't hold my gaze. A thought occurred to me, a terrible, torturous thought. Edward nodded. "No." The word came out as a sharp command. As if that were enough to stop it. "He can't. When?"

"This week." Alice said softly. "I'm not exactly sure yet. He's made the decision to come home, but he hasn't set a date."

"He doesn't have a home." I growled. The anger was fleeting, instead replaced by a sick kind of sadness that ate at me like a cancer. "Then what happens?"

"We're not sure." Carlisle said. "The plan isn't clear yet. We don't where we could be when he arrives."

"But what about me?" I asked. I felt delicate, breakable. I was afraid.

"You will come with us." Carlisle caught my hand, pulling me closer. "We'll leave, with you."

"That's not what I mean." I looked to Edward for help.

"She's worried about what he'll do to her." He clarified. "Adele, he won't get close enough to hurt you. I promise." There was fierceness to his words that made it clear he would be glued to me in the coming week.

"You shouldn't worry, Adele." Carlisle's voice had never strayed from its normal calm. "Both you and your mother will be safe."

"No, we won't." I was having my own vision, and unlike Alice, I knew it was true. It was true, and it wouldn't change. "I know him. He won't rest until he's done his damage. I would just be easier if we let him get us."

"Don't say that." Edward growled. "That's not going to happen."

"It will." I said. My voice was strong, despite the fear, the pain. "I know it."

They didn't believe. At least, not then.

--- --- ---

Edward was indeed my constant companion that week. I wanted to hit him a few times, but he just ignored me. Any pain I was going through was just collateral damage in the war for my safety. I knew it was a losing battle.

The Cullens were not tipped off to that until the day of. When I woke up Friday to a bright, sunlit day, I groaned. As much as I loved the sun, it would mean the Cullens had to stay home. I would have to face school alone for the first time since living with them.

I got dressed slowly, frowning the whole time. I laughed at all of their fake illnesses, which was the easiest way to convince my mother that they should all stay home. Edward and Alice watched me warily as I left, though she had already confirmed that nothing bad would happen at school.

It was boring without the Cullens. I went through my classes in a kind of daze, the final bell sounding sweeter than it ever had. It was also the last day of classes before our Christmas break, so the atmosphere was particularly cheerful.

I went outside and saw my mother waiting for me. It was childish, but I liked seeing her there, knowing that she had waited for me.

"I had to go to the supermarket for a few things, and I thought I would pick you up, mija." She explained as we took off in the opposite direction of the Cullen home. "Those boys sure can eat a lot when they are sick."

"The Cullens ate?" I raised an eyebrow. She laughed.

"If they are sick then they should eat. It will make them stronger. I wouldn't leave the room until they had finished that soup. They didn't seem to enjoy it much." I had to stifle my laugh at my imaginings of the looks Edward and Emmett had given my mother. I was sure it would have entertained me for years.

We reached the store quickly, and Mama went through and quickly replaced the ingredients from the soup. She also picked up some familiar items, and I smiled.

"Cake, Mama?"

"For your birthday." She admitted. "It's the only thing Alice will let me do. I think she's more excited than you are, mija."

"She is." I assured her. We were preparing to leave now, and as we stood in the check out line we watched the sun start to set, far too early. The streaks of red and pink made me think of fabric, brightly colored and forming an odd watercolor in the sky. I didn't think of blood until afterwards.

We were walking through the semi-dark city. It seemed fuzzy, a trick of the half light that kept us from feeling unsafe. That was our first mistake.

It wasn't until we reached the corner, a block away from the supermarket, that I first heard a third pair of footsteps. I looked around, and didn't see anyone. Biting my lip in thought, I followed my mother across the street, my footsteps trying to match hers. Finally we were in step, and the third set of footfalls became even clearer. They seemed to be longer, covering more distance in one step than ours were. I looked behind me, and saw a man this time, just now crossing the street. His hat was pulled low, and I couldn't see his eyes. I didn't think anything of it, though. There were plenty of other people walking as well, and it was chilly. It seemed only natural that he would protect himself from the cold.

We were by the school again when fear finally prickled through me. The man was closer now, and something about those footsteps was familiar. My body was telling me to run, but I couldn't quell my curiosity. I turned around, and in that instant the footsteps broke into a run. I was thrown suddenly into an alley, hitting the cold bricks with too much force. I felt something break, and I moaned. My mother screamed, but it was quickly stifled. And then, I heard a voice.

"Don't say a word, girl." My blood ran cold. Alice had been right. It was within the week. And I had been right. It didn't matter. He was here, and he was going to kill us both.

"I'll take care of her first." There was a loud thud, and whimper that wasn't me. "And then you're next."

I stayed silent, tears streaming down my face. He couldn't. He wouldn't. I was lying to myself.

I didn't run. I could have. He was engrossed in the beating of my mother. Her screams reverberated off the brick walls, and I prayed to every god possible that help would find us. None did. From where I sat, facing the brick wall, I could still see the sunlight, desperate to stay. I never wanted to see the sun again after that.

He was muttering, his words vicious. "Stupid whore." He said. "You took everything from me. You made me the way I am. It's your fault, and you will pay. You and your bastard child. That's not my girl. That's not my girl!"

I forced myself to move. I ran to him, throwing myself against him, trying to distract him. He took a second to throw me back against the wall, and resumed. I charged at him again, bouncing off him. I threw myself over my mother's body, trying to get him to hurt me. He kicked me off. He had found his goal, and as much as I cried, I couldn't get my voice to work. It was frozen, as cold as my hands were, despite the frantic activity. I had never felt so cold in my life. I threw punch after punch at him, to no avail. He ignored me like I was a fly on his windshield, and only occasionally would I earn myself a swipe. I fell to the ground, sobbing. Why did no one hear me? Why?

My mother's screaming died off. She was down to whimpers, and even those were letting go. She was losing everything. Blood, temperature, life. Everything seemed ready to escape her, and when she finally fell silent, his rough hands grabbed me, forcing me to look at her battered body.

"Watch her." He growled. "Watch her die."

I did. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't save her, and I couldn't avenge her. I was weak, I was delicate, and I had finally broken.

She was still breathing, and I prayed harder. I called upon all the gods, the Greeks, the Romans, Jesus, the Hindus. Anyone who could help us. I cried to myself, praying for her to breathe. Eventually, it grew quiet, slow. I was listening, and knew it was still there. He wasn't. He turned to me.

"That's the last thing you will ever see, mutt." He kicked me hard in the head, and I heard a crack. "You don't belong to me. Your bitch mother left you alone." There was another snapping noise as he kicked my side. I didn't let another noise escape me. Instead, I focused on my mother, and the sound of her breathing. It became the only thought in my head, the whisper that the air made as it entered and exited. It became a lullaby, as I found myself suddenly and completely unconscious.


	13. Change

**Holy crap, we're almost done here!!! This is the second to last chapter!! I think I might cry! Okay, anyway...yeah. This story is wrapping up soon, and the sequel shouldn't be far behind. I think I've finally got my time line and everything set, and the first two-three chapters written. I'm still open to ideas, as there are gaps that will prove to be difficult. I hope you all like this chapter, and then up next is the epilogue, and then I get to cry. **

**Thanks go out to ., sleepthroughthestatic, catarinanicole, and monkey-luver14 for the awesome reviews. And special thanks to Scampifish for letting me pick her brain AGAIN!!**

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Chapter Twelve: Change

I heard voices around me. There were several, all in the same hushed, serious tones. I thought they were talking about the dead. Then I realized they were.

"Maria isn't going to make it. Her heart is failing now, there is nothing we can do for her."

"What about Adele?"

"She's still strong. Listen."

A moment of silence. I could feel my heart in my chest, punching out a frantic, though steady, rhythm.

"Should we do it now?"

"I don't think we have a choice, Carlisle. Her left leg is completely shattered. She's worse then Esme was."

"Do it now, before she fully wakes up. She'd prefer it that way, I can tell."

"Edward…"

"She can hear us. She's worried, but only about us. She doesn't want you to do anything you are not comfortable doing."

"Wait! Listen."

Absolute silence. My own heart was still fast, still fierce, but I knew, somehow, that they were not listening to me.

"She's gone."

"I should have stayed with her."

"There was nothing you could do, dear. We knew it wouldn't take long. She's much better now."

"I could have saved Maria. I could have tried."

"No, you couldn't have. She was a lost cause from the moment he made his decision. You were right to focus on Adele."

"And still, we cannot save her life. We have left her alone in the world, completely broken."

"She's not alone! She has us."

"She will be heartbroken."

"Over Maria, yes. Her father's death will mean nothing to her. It will probably be a relief."

"If we had sent Edward instead of Emmett, he might still be alive. Edward can run faster, he could have caught him before he went over the edge."

"Do you think Adele would want for her father to live after he killed her mother? It is better like this, Carlisle. She will finally have a family that loves her."

"She's an orphan Carlisle. She has nowhere to go, and she won't want to be crippled her whole life. That leg is not going to heal, and I don't see her arm healing either. Her ribs are snapped, probably piercing some of her internal organs, and her skill is cracked. She's not going to recover easily or well."

"She's thinking. She doesn't want to be alone. She needs people, and she needs to dance. She can't be confined to a chair her whole life. She wants you to do it. She says…she says you promised to give her life, if it came to that."

There was a pause. One long, intense pause. All I could feel was my heart. Then, a soft voice.

"I did make her that promise. I'll need your help Edward."

"Yes! It's going to work out perfectly, Carlisle. Your idea will work, and she'll come out of it just fine."

There was activity, and I was moving. I was surrounded by cold, and there was the sound of doors. And then, suddenly, I was still. There was still activity around me, and voices I couldn't quite hear. I felt cold hands, moving softly along my skin. There seemed to be little to prepare, because the next moment, I heard Carlisle's voice.

"Adele, I'm going to give you something for the pain. You'll feel it sting." He paused. "I'm sorry. I wish I could take it away entirely, but I don't think that's possible."

"It's okay." I don't know how I found my voice, but I did. I was surprised at how hoarse it was. "Thank you."

He didn't say another word, though I felt something cold against my forehead. The next thing I knew was pain.

--- --- ---

It was burning, kind of like being in an oven. It hurt, but only if I let myself think of it. I didn't want to. I let my thoughts wander everywhere else. I choreographed my own ballet. I grieved for my mother. I thought of anything that wasn't the pain. And, occasionally, I would hear a voice, and I would focus on that voice. But the whole time, I stayed silent. I didn't want anyone to have to deal with the pain except for me.

Finally, the pain started to ebb. I heard someone enter the room, and Edward's voice filled my ears.

"Adele, we're almost done. The pain will stop within the hour. You might be a little…on edge at first, but don't worry. We're all here for you."

I heard more footsteps, and could hear the differences between them. My eyes flicked open. Edward was looking down at me. He winced for a moment, then rearranged his expression.

"I look that bad?" My voice was hoarse still, but from the pain now.

"Not at all." He shook his head, smiling. "It's just the eyes. They take some getting used to before they change. But…you do look different."

"How?" I asked. He laughed. The burning was leaving, slowly, but I wanted to sit up. I tried, but Edward put a hand on my shoulder.

"Not yet, Adelita." He said. "We want to wait until Carlisle comes."

"I want to see myself." I said. I heard more laughter, and saw my family crowding the doorway.

"I've got the mirror!" Alice said. I watched her walk forward and she was not the usual blur that she was when she used vampire speed. I saw her every motion as though she were performing them separately. I also jumped slightly, as I saw dust in the air for the first time. Floating along, like a leaf down a lazy stream, they only seemed to animate when something else moved them. I looked back to Edward, to tell him that I understood why he was so easily distracted. Even he was clearer, more defined. I could see every fleck of topaz in his eyes, and every strand of hair on his head.

"It takes some getting used to." He smiled, and I nodded in agreement. I wanted to sit up still. The instant I thought it, my body reacted. I was sitting up. Jasper eyed me nervously, and I allowed his wave of calm to wash over me. As it did, I felt it against my skin, like a warm breeze.

"Hmm." I said, biting my lip gently. "That's new." My voice sounded different now too. Now that the pain was almost gone, I could hear the more musical tone to it, the subtle rise and fall of my voice. I focused again on that warm breeze, which was now enveloping me. As I concentrated, I felt it pull tighter around me. Cautiously, I reached a hand out, feeling the usual tingle as I reached for the gift. As I closed my hand, drawing the tingle back in, I could feel the warmth come with it. "Edward?" I turned to him, but he had been in my mind already. He nodded, and I concentrated on sending the calm to him. I saw it now, a light blue haze in the air, as it folded around Edward. He smiled, nodding.

"Try it with another emotion." He suggested. I nodded, putting my mind to work. I suddenly found there was much more space in my head to do this. I drew the haze back, and tried to change it. I sent it out again, this time a dull gray color. As it drew around Edward, he yawned, and his eyelids dropped. I grinned, laughing. He hadn't yawned against his will for nearly fifty years.

"Take it back" He shuddered as I pulled the haze back, storing it in a corner of my now expansive mind. He heard my unspoken question, and nodded. "Try it."

I did. I pushed the tingling out, this time aiming for him. I saw it make contact, but he had no reaction. When I felt the buzz of electricity with it, I pulled back, taking some of that electricity with me. Even before I had stored the buzz, I could hear the thoughts of my family. There was a lot of shock, though Jasper was curious, and wary. His experience was telling him I should be tearing apart the room, not performing experiments.

"It's like a storage compartment." I explained to Carlisle. "There is a place for every new addition in my mind. They don't mix at all, they just stay in their own area."

"Fascinating." He said. He came closer, Jasper on his heels. I didn't try to calm Jasper, as I was sure he wouldn't appreciate it.

Alice watched him with wide eyes. I saw her expression change as she slipped into a vision, the change back. She glared at me. "Don't even think about it, Adele. You are not stealing from me."

"Just let me try." I begged. "I swear, I'll give it right back."

She sighed. "Fine." The pulsing was out before she could finish. I found her gift immediately, but it didn't want to budge. Finally, after a struggle, I managed to free a piece off, but it seemed heavier than the other two, more reluctant to come. When I set it down, it settled, though slowly, as though it didn't like its new home.

"That's a good theory." Edward said out loud. Everyone gave him a slightly exasperated look, and he explained. "Adele thinks that because Alice's gift is such a distinct part of her make-up, it is harder for her to steal. Alice had her visions as a human, while Jasper and I didn't develop our habits until our human lives had ended."

Carlisle was nodding. "She may be right." He stopped, as though he were nervous about something. I looked at him curiously, unsure of the thoughts running through his head. He smiled suddenly, and crossed to me. His hands weren't cold as he swept the bangs from my face, his hands cupping m y face gently. "Adele. Can you forgive me?" I saw the worry in his eyes, and heard the traitorous thoughts. He still wasn't sure he had done the right thing.

I smiled. "Of course…Dad." His eyes shone, and he leaned forward to kiss my forehead.

--- --- ---

I had been in my oven for three days, and woke up, ironically enough, on Christmas morning. After my first hunting trip (which was remarkable only in how clumsy I turned out to be, for a vampire) we gathered around the Christmas Tree, which I could now smell perfectly, and opened presents.

In my pile was a few new pair of pointe shoes, some new dance clothes (courtesy of Alice, naturally), a collection of Shakespeare's complete works,

I looked around, smiling at my new family. Jasper was already setting up his Civil War chess game, and explaining the figures to Edward, who was clearly not listening. Rosalie was staring at the model car box, intent on figuring out how to put the thing together before opening it. Emmett and Alice were entranced by the Monopoly money, the board laying abandoned in the corner. As I glanced around, I couldn't find Carlisle or Esme. Edward shook his head as I asked where they were.

_In a moment, Adelita._

I looked back down at the new pointe shoes, measuring out the ribbons, when I heard two sets of footsteps returning. I looked up, and saw my parents sitting next to me. Carlisle had a small box in his hand, which he placed in mine as my eyes turned to it.

"This is one is from all of us." He explained. "And your mother."

I nodded, realizing I couldn't cry. I slipped the ribbon off the box, pulling the top with it. Inside, gleaming a bright silver in the weak winter light from the window, was my charm bracelet. Except it was different. My eyes inspected each individual charm, and I felt myself smile. It was my charms, mixed with a few of my mothers, and a few new ones.

There was my toy soldier, with my old letter A still there as well. My ballet slippers were now next to a shining silver quarter note. I saw lots of animals, and realized that Edward had been talking behind my back.

"There's one from each of us." Carlisle said, circling the chain around my wrist. I nodded, my eyes grazing over each and taking it in. A mother duck from Esme, a bear from Emmett, a piano from Edward. They were all there, forever kept around my wrist.

And then there were the familiar ones. My mother's puppy, and her bright emerald teardrop, so much like my father's, and mine, eyes.

"We wanted to remember that color." Esme said softly. I bit my lip, and smiled.

"It's perfect." I whispered. I hugged first Esme, then Carlisle, enjoying the tinkling sound of silver around my wrist. "Thank you."

He smiled, brushing a hand through my hair. "You're welcome, mija." I smiled. For now, everything was perfect.


	14. Epilogue: Things I Know

**Okay guys. Firstly, you deserve an apology. This ending has been written for quite some time, but I was just too sidetracked by life in general to post it. It's a long time coming, and I hope it's better than you were imagining. **

**And now, this is it. The last chapter. The end of this section of Adele's story. I do have a sequel planned, and the first few chapters written. I will hopefully be posting it soon, now that I have my timeline in place. I will post an author's note in this story when the sequel is published, but you could also add me on author alert to make it easier. **

**Again, thanks to everyone that has reviewed, and especially the loyal and dedicated Scampifish for just being amazing. And, so, here we are: The End.  
**

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Epilogue: Things I Know

Assuming there is such a thing as a normal vampire, I certainly never fit that bill. There was my talent, after all, that meant no one was ever perfectly safe when I was around. When I was first introduced to the Denali clan, I managed to terrify Kate by accidentally electrocuting her when we shook hands. I have learned control since then, with her help. We can laugh about it now, but we certainly didn't then.

And then, perhaps the weirdest of my new traits, was my temperature. It changed. My first adventure in the human world was a trip to the movies, in which I brushed my hand against that of the teenager working the concession stand. There was transfer of warmth between us, and I thought I had received some new gift from him. When I tried to find it, it didn't exist. I touched Edward's hand to grab his attention, and he jumped.

"You're warm." He said. He grabbed Alice, who confirmed it as well. Through the movie, I cooled down to my normal temperature. Later, we tried it out at school. I could absorb the heat of humans. I could also take the chill from my family, evening out my temperature. It was an interesting phenomenon, and like the rest, went unexplained for many years.

Only one thing bothered me in my change from human to vampire. My mind kept returning to my memories of Jamie. He was the first boy I had loved, and even though I knew I couldn't continue our relationship, I wanted for him to be happy. I told Alice this one day, and she just smiled. I asked, knowing she wouldn't tell me. She didn't, but told me that I would figure it out in approximately ten years and three months. She wasn't far off.

It was actually ten years, one month and twenty days. It was Valentine's Day, 1973. As was our tradition, Edward and I spent the day together, giving the actual couples in our family some alone time. It was as much for their benefit as it was our own. Edward had gotten to choose this years activity, and he insisted on visiting Niagara Falls. We had lived in three other states, plus London, between the time of my change and that day. But Carlisle always wanted to return to the smaller areas, were good doctors were hard to keep. We were living a couple dozen miles from the Falls, and decided to run there.

We were just discussing how best to ruin one young couple's fun when the man suddenly turned to me. I gasped, as did Edward. It was Jamie, looking like an actual man now, rather than the boy I had kept in my mind.

He beckoned me forward, and I felt my feet move without my consent. I had crossed the space in no time, a smile forming on my lips. He may have grown taller, and his hair a little darker, but his blue eyes were still the same.

"Adele Foster?" I winced at the name, but nodded. "How are you!?" He pulled me into a tight hug, and I touched his ear with my finger as inconspicuously as I could. I absorbed some of his heat, and was finally able to blush.

"Jamie!" I sounded properly happy. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Me neither!" He was still as bright and cheerful as ever. "You look…good." I knew I looked good, even better than good. I looked like a polished version of the same girl I had been. He let it go, though, still laughing.

I took a peek at the woman behind him, and felt shock ripple through my body. "Cindy?"

She laughed, her blond curls shaking under her hat. "The very same." I hugged her too, amazed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm here with Jamie." He said. I stopped, suddenly making the connection.

"You mean you two got married?" I looked between them, laughing at their identical, sheepish grins. "That's so great!" I smiled, and found myself genuinely happy.

"Yeah, we got together after high school." She laughed. "It's five years today."

"Congratulations." I shook my head. "If I'd have known, I would have sent you something."

"We tried to track you down, but you move an awful lot." Jamie said. "I hear you were dancing in Moscow."

I nodded, wishing the cover story were true. "Yes. It was so much fun. But those Russian men are really mean."

They laughed, then Cindy grew serious. "Did you ever find a man, Adele?"

I was ready to answer no, when something flashed through my mind. As soon as he saw it, Edward was begging me to reconsider, but I didn't. "Actually, do you guys remember the Cullens?"

"Yeah, you were friends with the younger one…Edward, right?" Cindy remembered. Her eyes grew wide as I pasted an embarrassed smile on my face. "You didn't? You two?"

"Yeah." I grinned. "We eloped last year. We came back to tell his parents, but we got a little sidetracked." I pretended to look around, silently ushering Edward towards me. "I don't know where he's gone."

"Adele!" He was grinning just as stupidly as I was as he approached. "There you are, love." He swept me up into his arms and kissed me lightly on the cheek. _You are going to pay dearly for this, Adele Cullen. _ He growled in his head.

"Edward." I pretended to be embarrassed, which wasn't hard this time. He set me down, and I turned to my human friends. "Jamie, Cindy, this is Edward."

"Nice to meet you." The men shook hands as Cindy threw me an approving look. "You're taking care of our Adele?" Jamie asked, trying to look gruff. It didn't quite suit him.

"I try my best, but sometimes she gets herself into trouble." Edward said, his tone laughing. I knew he meant it.

We chatted for a little longer, then Edward managed to politely end the conversation. We waited until we were far out of earshot before cracking up.

"We eloped?" He asked in between chuckles. "That doesn't sound like either of us."

"It worked." I giggled. "And you are some romantic kisser, Edward." I added sarcastically.

"Just playing my part, sis." He kissed the top of my head, and together we made our way back home.

--- --- ---

In religion class, they used to tell us that grace was God's undeserved love, the thing that resided in humans that made them want to do good. I understood that meaning, though it never made a whole lot of sense to me. Why would God love people if they didn't deserve it? What could make someone unworthy of love?

Now, when I think about grace, I understand what I didn't then. But something doesn't make sense now that did then. Why is it just God's love? Can't it be considered grace, even if it's just another human loving someone who doesn't deserve it? I think of my mother with this one, and how she loved my father, right up until the end. He never deserved her, and still she clung to him.

I also think of myself. How my mother loved me, even though I was an accident. I caused her a lot of trouble, and still, she loved me fiercely. She understood the concept, too, even giving me the middle name Graciela, the name of the same concept in her mother tongue.

But most importantly, most distinctly, I think of the Cullens. How they found me, shattered and alone, and still loved me, loved me enough to accept me. I have never changed my mind, convinced that I was damaged goods, that I didn't deserve what they gave me.

And that is the beauty of grace. It isn't deserved. You can't claim it. I could try my hardest, and still, my family couldn't love me more than they already do. In the same vein, I could massacre a small town on my own, and their love would still shine as bright as a lighthouse in a tempest. I was blessed with two families, and though the concept of God is still up in the air for me, I am a firm believer in grace.


End file.
